Kevin the Jeans Bale
| Kevin the Jeans Bale | |
| Object date | 2018 |
| Place of Origin | Content designed in 52 countries, made in 15 different countries, travelled through USA and Canada, and ended up in Ghana |
| Designer | Represents 52 brands |
| Manufacturer | Multiple |
| Materials | Mainly cotton and elastane |
by anonymous student
Kevin the Jeans Bale is a clothing bale containing 103 used jeans from USA and Canada. Kevin was bought by the OR foundation, a USA-based non-profit organization, for research purposes. Kevin holds just a fraction of the 15 million garments that are imported to Accra, Ghana, every week. Unwanted garments from Western countries are transported to the Global South to be sold in local markets. Second-hand clothing from the West is a huge problem, at least in Accra, where around 40% of the garments end up in landfill and oceans due to poor quality (The OR Foundation, 2016).
This is a global problem arising from overconsumption in Western countries, causing damage to the environment and the clothing culture in Ghana, but also in many other less developed countries. Covid-19 has apparently slowed the second-hand trade in Accra. Perhaps there is a chance to change direction.
The OR Foundation. (2016). Dead White Man’s Clothes. From Dead White Man’s Clothes: https://deadwhitemansclothes.org/
Image
The OR foundation (deadwhitemansclothes.org/kevin)
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