H&M, Primark, Marks & Spencer Garments Found in Accra Textile Waste Audit

Global fashion brands, including H&M, Primark and Marks & Spencer, have been identified among labels on discarded garments collected from beaches, markets and dumpsites across Accra, raising concerns about the growing environmental impact of textile waste in Ghana.

The brands were identified in a Greenpeace Africa audit of 201 discarded garments collected from James Town Beach, Kantamanto Market and Agbogbloshie between October 2 and 5, 2026.

Greenpeace Africa released the findings at James Town Beach as part of its campaign highlighting what it describes as “waste colonialism” and the environmental and economic consequences of the global fast-fashion industry.

The organisation also unveiled a six-metre installation made from hundreds of discarded garments to draw attention to the growing volume of textile waste entering Ghana.

Greenpeace Raises Alarm Over Textile Waste

The Project Lead for the Pan African Plastics Project at Greenpeace Africa, Hellen Kahaso Dena, expressed concern about the volume of unusable clothing entering Ghana through the second-hand clothing trade.

She said discussions with traders at Kantamanto Market indicated that a significant proportion of imported garments were unsuitable for reuse or resale.

According to Ms Dena, traders estimated that approximately 40 per cent of the clothing entering the market constituted waste.

She clarified that Greenpeace Africa was not advocating a complete ban on second-hand clothing imports, acknowledging the trade’s importance to livelihoods and the local economy.

“What we do not want is for fashion brands in the global north to actually use that loophole to continue dumping,” she said.

Ms Dena called on the government to prohibit the importation of what Greenpeace describes as “dead waste” — clothing that cannot be reused, repurposed or resold.

She also urged the government to strengthen support for Ghana’s local textile and fashion industries to help domestic producers, designers and artisans expand their businesses.

Synthetic Fibres Raise Pollution Concerns

The Head of Investigations at Greenpeace Africa, Sam Quashie-Idun, said the organisation visited James Town Beach, Kantamanto Market and Agbogbloshie to collect textile samples and engage traders and others involved in the second-hand clothing trade.

He said the audit identified garment labels belonging to H&M, Primark, Marks & Spencer and Next, among other international fashion brands.

Mr Quashie-Idun warned that the growing volume of discarded garments also raised concerns about plastic and microplastic pollution, particularly because many clothing items are manufactured from synthetic fibres.

He cited Greenpeace Africa’s 2024 report, Fast Fashion, Slow Poison, which found that 89 per cent of 164 discarded garments tested at three dumpsites in the Greater Accra Region contained synthetic fibres.

The earlier investigation also examined the burning of textile waste as fuel at three public washhouses in Old Fadama.

According to Mr Quashie-Idun, tests conducted during that investigation detected benzene, a chemical known to cause cancer, at levels at some washhouses reportedly reaching 200 times European safety standards.

He stressed that those findings were based on samples collected in 2023 and were separate from the latest audit of 201 discarded garments.

Greenpeace Calls for Stronger Producer Responsibility

Greenpeace Sweden spokesperson Isabelle McAllister called for stronger Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations requiring fashion companies to contribute towards managing the environmental impact of their products throughout their life cycle.

She said international fashion companies needed to take greater responsibility for the waste generated by their products, including garments that eventually become unsuitable for reuse or resale in countries such as Ghana.

Ms McAllister also opposed a blanket ban on second-hand clothing imports, noting the trade’s economic importance to Ghana.

Instead, she urged fashion companies to reduce production volumes and improve the quality and durability of garments entering the second-hand market.

Calls for Sustainable Fashion Practices

The findings have renewed attention on the environmental challenges associated with the global second-hand clothing trade and the disposal of unwanted garments in Ghana.

While the trade provides income and employment for thousands of people, the reported volume of unusable clothing presents challenges for traders, waste-management authorities and communities affected by textile pollution.

Greenpeace Africa’s campaign calls for greater accountability from international fashion brands, stronger regulation of textile imports and increased investment in Ghana’s domestic textile and fashion industries.

The organisation maintains that addressing the problem requires a balance between protecting livelihoods linked to second-hand clothing and preventing the importation of garments that have little or no potential for reuse.