Every week, Bastián Barria ventures into the Atacama desert in northernChilelooking for items of discarded clothing in the sand. About half of the hundreds of garments he finds are in perfect condition. He collects what he can and adds them to the two-tonne pile of clothes he has stored at a friend’s house.On 17 March, 300 of those items, including Nike and Adidas shorts, Calvin Klein jeans and a leather skirt, were listed for sale online for the first time. The price? Zero. Customers had only to pay shipping costs. The first batch sold out in five hours, bought by customers from countries including Brazil, China, France, the US and the UK.Re-commerce Atacamais part of a campaign to raise awareness of the mountains of discarded clothes in Chile and of textile waste globally. It was set up after a fashion show staged in the desert last year, where modelswalked a catwalk of sandwearing outfits made out of the surrounding waste.“We want people to feel involved and be agents of change – not from a passive position of seeing content, but by purchasing something, showing people and telling our story of what is happening here in the desert,” says Barria, 32, a civil engineer and co-founder ofDesierto Vestido(Dressed Desert), an organisation dedicated to raising awareness of textile waste.“At first, there was a certain disbelief on my part to see this happening. I asked myself why garments in perfect condition were being discarded in the desert when there are many people who might like to wear them. It’s sad. It really makes you feel powerless.”Chile has long been a destination for secondhand and unsold clothing, most of it made in China or Bangladesh and passing through Europe, Asia or the US before arriving in the country. In 2022,more than 131,000 tonnes of clothingarrived in the country, most of it in the city of Iquique in northern Chile, home to one of the most important duty-free ports in South America.View image in fullscreenChile’s Atacama desert is being polluted by huge waste from the global fast-fashion industrySome is resold, but sources in the region sayup to 70% ends up in rubbish dumpsin the desert every year; in Chile it is forbidden to dump textile waste in legal landfills because it generates soil instability. The desert is one of the country’s most popular tourism destinations, known for its otherworldly landscapes, but for those living near the dump sites it has become a place of devastation. Pictures of amountain of clothes taken from spacewent viral in 2023. In recent years, people have resorted to burning the waste in an attempt to hide the extent of it. The resulting toxic clouds of smoke are an environmental and health concern for the surrounding communities.How we produce fashion is wrong. We produce more and more ... faster and fasterFernanda Simon, Fashion Revolution BrazilDetermined to do something about the crisis, Barria’s organisation teamed up with fashion activists Fashion Revolution Brazil, the Brazilian advertising agency Artplan and the e-commerce platform Vtex, to tell the world about the situation.The Re-commerce Atacama operation involves a careful process of selecting and restoring the garments to ensure they are in good condition for resale. They are cleaned and made available for free, bar shipping costs, on the digital platform.View image in fullscreenClothes recovered from the Atacama desert are cleaned and sanitised ready to be put on the Re-commerce Atacama siteIn advance of the first drop of clothes, influencers and personalities including Dudu Bertholini, a judge onDrag Race Brasil, posted about the campaign on social media. The next drop is expected in April. Anyone interested can add their email to be notified when more clothes become available.Fernanda Simon, director of Fashion Revolution Brazil, sees the project as “an act of activism that reveals what is behind fashion and proves we can do things differently”.She says: “More than removing clothes from the desert, we wanted to inspire solutions, rethink the fashion model and show that we must talk about circularity.”skip past newsletter promotionSign up toGlobal DispatchFree newsletterGet a different world view with a roundup of the best news, features and pictures, curated by our global development teamEnter your email addressSign upPrivacy Notice:Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see ourPrivacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the GooglePrivacy PolicyandTerms of Serviceapply.after newsletter promotionAbout92m tonnes of textile wasteare created annually and every second, the equivalent ofa lorry load of clothesends up on a landfill site somewhere around the world.View image in fullscreenClothes discarded in perfect condition are given away, with customers paying only the cost of shippingThis phenomenon is a consequence of an increase in clothing consumption and the fast-paced production model of the fashion industry, says Simon. “How we produce fashion is wrong,” she says. “We produce more and more and the velocity of production is getting faster and faster. There is no transparency about how these clothes are made.”While 20 years ago, most labels would release four collections of clothes annually, she says, now with the rise of fast fashion and ultra-fast fashion, there can be as many as 52 collections a year.Unsold inventory and unwanted secondhand clothes, most of which come from markets in the US, Europe and Asia, are dumped in countries in the global south. Another place where this problem is particularly visible is Accra, Ghana’s capital, where tangled webs ofclothes line the shore.View image in fullscreenThe next drop of clothes is planned for April, after the first one in March sold out in five hoursSimon labels this practice “racist and colonialist”. Most of the raw materials required to make clothes come from countries in the global south, she says. European countries and the US are the biggest consumers, and when they don’t want the clothes, they end up back in countries in the global south.“It’s a massive problem. It’s not just Chile, it’s not just Ghana. It’s a global problem. We are facing this waste and it is proof that we need to rethink the fashion system.”
Calvin Klein jeans for free! Branded clothes dumped in the desert snapped up on anti-fast fashion website
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Campaign in Chile Highlights Textile Waste Crisis as Discarded Clothing is Offered for Free Online"
The Guardian
7.7
TruthLens AI Summary
Bastián Barria, a civil engineer and co-founder of the organization Desierto Vestido, has been actively collecting discarded clothing from the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. His efforts highlight the alarming issue of textile waste, as he finds that nearly half of the hundreds of garments he recovers are still in excellent condition. Recently, he launched a campaign called Re-commerce Atacama, where he offered 300 items, including popular brands like Calvin Klein and Nike, for free online, with customers only responsible for the shipping costs. This first batch sold out within five hours, attracting buyers from various countries, including Brazil, China, and the United States. The initiative aims to raise awareness about the massive amounts of clothing waste produced globally, particularly in Chile, where a staggering 70% of the clothing imported into the country ends up discarded in the desert. The campaign is not only about redistributing clothing but also empowering consumers to take an active role in addressing the fast fashion crisis.
The situation in Chile is a microcosm of a larger global problem where the fast fashion industry contributes significantly to environmental degradation. In 2022, over 131,000 tonnes of clothing were imported into the country, with much of it ending up in landfills in the Atacama Desert, a popular tourist destination. Barria's organization, in collaboration with Fashion Revolution Brazil and other partners, is working to promote a shift in the fashion model towards more sustainable practices. They clean and restore the garments before making them available for free, encouraging consumers to rethink their relationship with fashion. Fashion Revolution's Fernanda Simon emphasizes the need for transparency in the fashion industry and calls for a reevaluation of the current production methods that prioritize speed and volume over sustainability. As the next drop of clothing is planned for April, the initiative continues to inspire discussions about circularity and responsible consumption in the fashion industry, aiming to challenge the prevailing norms that lead to such wasteful practices.
TruthLens AI Analysis
The article presents a captivating narrative about discarded clothing in the Atacama Desert and highlights the growing awareness regarding textile waste. It showcases the efforts of Bastián Barria and his organization, Desierto Vestido, which aims to promote sustainability and combat fast fashion through re-commerce initiatives. This story not only illustrates the environmental issues associated with textile waste but also calls for community engagement in addressing these problems.
Awareness and Action Against Fast Fashion
The primary objective of this article seems to be raising awareness about the massive amounts of textile waste, particularly in Chile. By showcasing Barria's efforts and the subsequent success of selling discarded clothing for free (aside from shipping costs), the article encourages readers to reconsider their consumption habits and the implications of fast fashion. The notion of empowering individuals to become agents of change is a strong theme throughout the piece.
Social and Environmental Implications
The narrative emphasizes the plight of discarded yet usable clothing in the desert, which evokes a sense of urgency regarding environmental degradation. It indirectly criticizes the fashion industry's wastefulness and urges consumers to reflect on their purchasing decisions. The story paints a picture of a community striving to reclaim their environment while simultaneously addressing social issues related to poverty and access to clothing.
Potential Hidden Agendas
While the article seems primarily focused on environmental awareness, it may also subtly promote the idea of sustainable fashion as a marketable trend. By emphasizing the popularity of the free clothing initiative and the global interest it garnered, the article may hint at the potential for profit in sustainable practices, which could divert attention from the deeper systemic issues in the fashion industry.
Credibility and Manipulative Elements
The credibility of the article is relatively high as it presents a real-life initiative and quotes a co-founder of the organization involved. However, the framing of the narrative could be seen as manipulative; it evokes emotional responses through descriptions of environmental harm and societal inequality. Additionally, the focus on the successful sale of items may downplay the larger systemic issues of fast fashion and consumerism.
Comparative Context
In relation to other news articles, this one fits into a broader narrative surrounding sustainability and environmental consciousness. It aligns with growing global discussions about climate change and consumer behavior, linking it to economic and social implications. The portrayal of Chile as a destination for discarded clothing fits within the larger discourse on global waste management and ethical consumption.
Community Support and Target Audience
The article likely resonates with environmentally conscious communities, advocates for sustainable fashion, and consumers interested in ethical purchasing. It aims to engage individuals who are concerned about environmental issues and seek to make a difference through their consumer choices.
Economic Impact
This news story may influence stock sentiments related to companies in the fashion industry, particularly those associated with fast fashion or sustainability initiatives. Market reactions could arise from shifts in consumer behavior as awareness of textile waste increases.
Global Power Dynamics
The article does not directly address global power dynamics but contributes to the ongoing discussions about sustainability and corporate responsibility. It reflects a growing trend of consumer activism that could impact corporate practices and policies worldwide.
Artificial Intelligence Usage
While it is unclear if AI played a role in crafting this article, AI models could potentially assist in analyzing trends or generating content. If AI was involved, it might have influenced the narrative style or focus, promoting engagement and emotional resonance. The article serves as an informative piece that reflects pressing environmental issues and calls for community action. However, it also invites scrutiny regarding potential biases and broader implications within the fashion industry.