ACCRA, GHANA — In a bold subversion of commercial advertising, Accra’s skyline is being transformed to expose the staggering environmental toll of the global second-hand clothing trade. Emmanuel Aggrey Tieku is both an artist working across various fields and a civil engineer who recently unveiled a thought-provoking installation project in which enormous billboards were covered with cast-off textile materials.
In Ghana, there have been increasing numbers of imports of what is locally referred to as “dead white man’s clothes.” The Kantamanto Market has remained the centre of resale. Still, it is said that about 40 per cent of imported goods are of low quality, rendering them immediately unusable and therefore a waste.
“Traditionally, billboards are used to sell dreams and aspirations,” explains Tieku. “By putting discarded clothes on these structures, we are inverting that. Whether you want it or not, this is what you see. The waste is no longer a distant problem; you feel the weight of it.”
The aesthetic intervention highlights a dire ecological reality. At Jamestown Beach, mountains of fabric now choke the coastline, while vast “textile tentacles” tangle in the Atlantic. However, this waste material is not inert, as environmentalists argue that these artificial fibres contain microplastics, toxic compounds, and greenhouse gases that contaminate the environment when ingested by marine creatures, subsequently enter the food chain, and affect humans.
In this way, Tieku and the local activists are advocating for a revolutionary change in the way the Global North handles surplus clothing. International brands and governments should consider more sustainable ways to produce and dispose of their clothes. They should not treat Africa as an easy dumping ground for their fast-fashion addiction.
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