Image of a mountain of abandoned clothes in the desert

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What Happens to Our Old Clothes?

How a desert in South America became a giant dumping ground for fast fashion  

    The Atacama Desert in northern Chile doesn’t get much water. It’s one of the driest places on Earth. Each year, it rains about half an inch. 

    But the Atacama does get a lot of something else: unwanted clothes.

    Mountains of jeans and sneakers lie under the strong desert sun. Bathing suits and hoodies are piled high. This desert clothing dump is nearly as wide as 580 football fields—and counting. 

    How did it all get there?

World map highlighting the Atacama Desert in Chile

Jim McMahon/Mapman ®

The Atacama Desert is located in Chile, a country in South America. 

A Trashy Problem

    Most of the garments in the Atacama Desert are fast fashion. This term describes clothes that are trendy and cheap to buy. 

    Shein and H&M are examples of large fast-fashion companies. They make items quickly and cheaply. This allows them to add new styles to stores and websites every day. 

    In this way, fast fashion has made it easier than ever for people to buy the latest looks. But it’s also creating a huge problem. 

    Americans now buy five times more clothing than they did 30 years ago. At the same time, we only wear these pieces for half as long. The average person tosses out 76 pounds of clothing a year. 

    Fast-fashion companies don’t sell everything they make either. Items may end up damaged or go out of style. 

    So what happens to all these unwanted clothes? Some end up in landfills. Others are packed up and sent to countries like Chile. 

    In Chile, clothes are sorted, and some are sold in local markets. Anything not sold is shipped out to the desert. 

Image of empty desert landscape and then it filled with mountains of abandoned clothes

Antonio Busiello/Getty Images (Desert); MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images (Landfill)

From Desert to Dumpster
The Atacama Desert has been known for its scenic landscape. But it’s quickly becoming a landfill for unwanted clothes.

Looking for a Solution 

    People in Chile have been looking for ways to use all these old clothes. One company turns the garments into insulation pads to keep homes warm. Another company makes recycled yarn. 

    But some people say these solutions aren’t enough. Many clothing factories pollute the environment. And some garments can take hundreds of years to break down in landfills. Instead of finding new uses for tossed-out clothes, experts say fewer clothes need to be made in the first place.

    One way to help is to shop less. Before buying something, ask yourself: Do I really need this? 

    You can also look for creative ways to fill your closet. Swap clothes with friends. Check out thrift stores. It could help save the planet—and save you money too. 

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Fashion Victims

Discover the dark side of cheap fashion.

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