"Don't buy, rescue!" Fixing the Trash Pile of Clothes in Chile's Atacama Desert

Hello! What are we actually doing? Our unwanted clothes don't belong dumped in Chile's beautiful Atacama Desert...

Everyone knows reasons why the global north exports used clothing to the global south - it's because fashion is too fast, quality is too low, volumes are too high, and for rich countries it's often cheaper to export your problem than it is to deal with it onshore. But even if that wasn't the case, even if you had a big dream and deep pockets, that horse has bolted - the system at scale today is about global trade.

Certainly, some of it is a reuse stream, some of it does get re-worn and recycled. Also sorted, processed and re-exported. But the fact is, too many of of these clothes become unsustainable waste that, once they reach their final destination, escape into the environment and pollute Nature and communities.

According to the UN, about 40% of the clothes imported through Chile's Iquique free trade zone in the northern Atacama, have no value in the local second-hand clothing market and cannot be re-exported. Many end up dumped in the desert.

In our annual Fashion Revolution ep, we meet the activists and creatives behind a genius campaign - Recommerce Atacama. Bastian Barria and Angela Astudillo from Desierto Vestido have joined forces with creative agency Art Plan, ecommerce platform Vtex, and Fashion Revolution Brazil to sell these clothes back to where they come from. The price? Zero dollars. The slogan: "Don't buy, rescue!"

Clare sits down with Fernanda Simon and Paula Lagrotta to unpack the issues.

More info at thewardrobecrisis.com

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