Black Friday sales are here, meaning new clothing will be flying off the shelves around the United States. However, with the clothing waste crisis – which is partially caused by the overproduction and disposability of many of the same clothes bought on Black Friday – impacting communities in the Global South, some designers whose communities have been impacted want to flip the idea of the holiday on its head.
With the help of the resale website Vestiaire Collective and the Or Foundation, twelve Ghanaian designers are selling upcycled handbags, pants, jackets, and sweatshirts made strictly from clothing and materials sourced from Accra’s Kantamanto Market on Black Friday. Kantamanto is the largest second-hand market in the world, with clothing, accessories and shoes (many of which are not in condition to sell and turn into waste) coming from the United States and the UK.
Liz Ricketts, co-founder and Executive Director of The Or Foundation, said in a press release: “Our hope is that this collaboration inspires people to take a look into their closets and reconsider the value of their clothing. What can be repaired or transformed through over-dye, tailoring, or upcycling?”
The designers selling one-of-a-kind upcycled pieces are Najiha Yahaya, Danny McELL, Richard Asante, Abrokwah Miracle, Patrick Kwakye, The Bhaby, Arow Boi, Kojo Kuntu, and CBI Desk (designers Nabi Yankey, Jennifer Nanor, Mina Frimpong, and Beauty Dogbey). They include everything from bright, knitted bags to patch denim jackets and pants. According to the release, money earned from the sales will go to both the featured designers and the Kantamanto community via The Or Foundation's Secondhand Solidarity Fund.
