24th MEB Conference - Budapest, 24.04.2026

The global second-hand clothing (SHC) market has experienced rapid growth, fuelled by fast fashion, evolving consumer preferences toward sustainable fashion and economic affordability. Key drivers behind this growth include heightened environmental awareness, economic pressures, and the adoption of a "circular economy" mindset, where reusing goods is increasingly prioritised by many consumer groups over new single-use consumption. The SHC market creates avenues for increased access to affordable clothing for low-income communities, supports informal job creation in buying, selling, repairing, and altering garments, and promotes sustainable practices aligned with circular economy principles.
Research from the Swiss Academy for Development in 1997 indicated that over 95% of Ghanaians consume or patronise second-hand clothing, demonstrating its pivotal role in the apparel market. Similarly, a study by Oteng-Ababio et al. identified the Kantamanto Market in Accra as a central hub for the second-hand clothing industry in Ghana and neighbouring countries (Oteng Ababio, 2015).
This local study aims to develop a more robust understanding of how resale, repair, and preparation for reuse operate in Ghana and map the adverse impacts associated with the importation of second-hand clothing. The study also evaluates awareness of policy and regulation within the SHC industry.
This study was conducted through Project Rewear, initiated by Fashion For Good (FFG) and Circle Economy (CE) in partnership with The Revival Earth and Artdiction. Project Rewear focuses on the current and desired future state for resale end destinations like Kantamanto, per product archetype (Denim Jeans, Outerwear, T-shirts, Activewear, Sweatshirts or Jumpers) by looking at rewearable and low-value rewearables, and identifying the resale and repair potential of garments in four select European regions: Lithuania (Nordic/Baltic), the Netherlands (Western), Poland (Central-Eastern), and Spain (Southern Europe).