What: Fire at Ghana's Kantamanto Market destroys crucial textile recycling infrastructure that processes 15 million clothing items weekly, exposing vulnerabilities in the global waste handling system.

Why it is important: This disruption to one of the world's largest textile recycling operations coincides with new EPR legislation and sustainability directives, highlighting the urgent need for more resilient and distributed waste management systems.

The devastating fire that swept through Ghana's Kantamanto Market on January 2, 2025, has decimated West Africa's largest secondhand clothing market, affecting approximately 8,000 traders and destroying at least ten of the thirteen market sections. The market, which typically processes 15 million pieces of discarded clothing weekly and recirculates 25 million items monthly through various means including resale, repair, and remanufacturing, has been a crucial hub in the global textile waste management system. The Or Foundation, a Ghanaian-American non-profit, has committed $1 million to emergency relief efforts and is coordinating additional fundraising to support the affected community. This crisis has drawn attention to the market's structural vulnerabilities, as recurring fires and flooding have historically disrupted operations. The situation is particularly critical given Kantamanto's role in global textile waste management and its influence on European Union EPR regulations. The market's partial destruction not only affects local livelihoods but also disrupts the global fashion industry's waste handling capabilities at a time when sustainable solutions are increasingly vital.

IADS Notes: The devastating fire at Kantamanto Market in January 2025 exposes critical vulnerabilities in the global textile waste management system at a pivotal time for the industry. The market's processing of 15 million pieces weekly represents a significant portion of the Global North's textile waste handling capacity, making its disruption particularly concerning as ThredUp projected in March 2024  that the secondhand market would reach $350 billion by 2028. This crisis coincides with major regulatory changes, as reported in May 2024 , including new EPR legislation and sustainability directives forcing the industry to improve its waste management practices. While innovative solutions are emerging, such as Technip Energies' December 2024  announcement of a $2 billion textile recycling venture, the Kantamanto fire highlights the precarious nature of current waste management infrastructure. This is particularly significant given November 2024  findings about the challenges facing textile recycling, where up to 40% of exported secondhand clothing may be non-reusable, emphasising the urgent need for more robust and sustainable waste management solutions.

What the Kantamanto Market fire means for sustainable fashion