Altkleiderhandel: Neue Studien bestätigen - SÜDWIND

Altkleiderhandel: Neue Studien
bestätigen SÜDWIND-Kritik
(Friedel Hütz-Adams, 30.10.2009)
Aktuelle Stellungnahmen und Auszüge aus Studien zur
Altkleiderproblematik:
Garth Frazer: Used-Clothing Donations and Apparel Production in Africa.
Economic Journal, Vol. 118, Issue 532, pp. 1764-1784, October 2008.
This article examines the importance of one possible explanation for the failure of African
countries to step onto the bottom rung of the manufacturing sophistication ladder, that is
to produce apparel. Used-clothing donations to thrift shops and other organisations in
industrialised countries typically end up being sold to consumers in Africa. Since used
clothing is initially provided as a donation, it shares characteristics with food aid, which
always assists consumers, but at times harms African food producers. Used-clothing
imports are found to have a negative impact on apparel production in Africa, explaining
roughly 40% of the decline in production and 50% of the decline in employment over the
period 1981–2000.
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Stitched up! How those imposing unfair competition in the textiles and clothing
industries are the only winners in this race to the bottom, International
Confederation of free Trade Unions (ICFTU), December 2005
“The end of the quota system is just one of the factors behind the difficulties in
Kenya’s garment sector. As in other African countries, Kenyan trade unionists are
also denouncing the flooding of the market with second hand clothing. Joseph Bolo:
“There were 60 factories in the sector two years ago; now there are only 10, and
they are producing at 20% of their capacity. The second hand clothing sent from
North America and Europe, along with the invasion of Chinese products, has
provoked the situation. At the beginning of the eighties, before the creation of the
export processing zones, over 100,000 workers were members of the textile and
garment unions, the total workforce in the sector was much higher. Then, little by
little, things changed as a result of the second hand clothing sent to Kenya by
Western countries. These clothes were donated in these countries, but businessmen
started to sell them at a very cheap price in Kenya. Kenyans have becomes used to
these second hand clothes and shoes, which have progressively taken over the local
market. The local clothing and footwear factories thus started to dismiss workers,
as they were able sell less and less on their own market. If you walk through the
streets of Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania today, you will see that they are full of
second hand clothes and shoes. It is a type of unfair competition, as the local
manufacturers pay their taxes, their workers and their production costs in general.
These factories also export a small percentage of their production, but the most
important outlet was the local market. When this is reduced to such an extent, they
have to close down, as their exports are not enough to keep them in business.”
(Quelle: http://www.icftu.org/www/PDF/LMSrapporttextile05EN.pdf, S.24)
Information and strategy guide: asian multinationals in africa
(Produced for ITGLWF Africa as part of the workers newsletter project of IRENE by
CSRSC in collaboration with SOMO)
“This is quite different to a decade ago when clothes were made in African countries
for their own consumption. Today the shops in Africa that supply the small rich elite
are supplied from other poor countries but the majority of people either buy very
cheap imported clothes from the east or more likely buy used clothes that rich
countries export to Africa. It was a combination of these imports and more
importantly the used clothing that flooded the market after development
approaches insisted that African countries liberalise and open their economies to
the rest of the world market that saw many factories that produced for the local
market close down. Thousands of jobs were lost in this process as producers could
not compete with used clothing.
(…) The continued importation of used clothes effectively prevents the development
of African production for African consumption which would have the effect of
creating more formal sector jobs. Many worker leaders have for a long time argued
that there needs to be a control on these imports and that a local industry must be
redeveloped in African countries. However up to now most efforts have been
focused around fighting multinationals and other companies along the supply chain
as this is where the majority of union members are now to be found. “
(Quelle: http://www.cleanclothes.org/ftp/05-africa-booklet1.pdf, S. 42)
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The impact of the second-hand clothing trade in developing countris, Oxfam,
September 2005
(Baden, Sally / Barber, Catherine 2005)
Eine englischsprachige Studie der britischen Organisation Oxfam kommt zu dem
Ergebnis, es seien zwar viele Arbeitsplätze durch den Altkleiderhandel entstanden, doch
die zuvor vorhandene ProduzentInnen seien zum Teil auch vom Markt verdrängt worden.
Zudem fallen in den Staaten (auch Asiens), die Neukleider in afrikanische Staaten
exportieren, Arbeitsplätze weg.
Oxfam fordert transparentere Märkte und sieht die Altkleider sammelnden
Organisationen in der Verantwortung. Daher sollen diese – neben anderen Kriterien – nur
in Staaten liefern:

deren Bevölkerung über geringe Einkommen verfügt;

in denen nur ein kleiner Teil der Menschen in der Textil/Bekleidungsindustrie
arbeitet oder in denen die bestehende Industrie nicht gefährdet wird;

es nicht wahrscheinlich ist, dass die Altkleider von dort in Staaten
weiterexportiert werden, die verwundbar sind oder die Importbeschränkungen
haben.

Zudem werden noch weitere Maßnahmen vorgeschlagen, wie der Export von
Altkleidern entwicklungsverträglich gestaltet werden könnte. Dazu gehört:

die Verwendung von Einnahmen aus dem Altkleiderhandel für die Förderung
der lokalen Textil- und Bekleidungsindustrie wie auch der informellen
Produktion in diesen Bereichen;

das strikte Einhalten aller gesetzlichen Bestimmungen und das Zahlen aller
Steuern und Zölle beim Handel mit den Altkleidern.
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Internationale Textil-, Bekleidungs- und Lederarbeiter-Vereinigung (ITBLAV):
Presseerklärung vom 24.2.2005: Handel mit gebrauchter Kleidung:
„Handel mit gebrauchten Kleidern ist zunehmend als die Jahrhundertkrankheit in
den Textil-, Bekleidungs- und Schuhindustrien zu betrachten. Dieser Handel sorgt
für enorme Probleme in allen Kontinenten, da Zehntausende von Arbeiterinnen und
Arbeitern in den Textil-, Bekleidungs- und Schuhsektoren den Arbeitsplatz
verlieren. Aber obwohl dieser Handel für Armut sorgt, ist er zugleich eine
Einnahmequelle für die Armen.
Die ITBLAV wird:

Kampagne führen, um dafür zu sorgen, dass für Arme gespendete
gebrauchte Kleider dazu benutzt und kostenfrei verteilt werden, um den
Schaden, den dieser Handel in Entwicklungsländern verursacht, zu
vermeiden;

Organisationen - vor allem wohltätige Organisationen - und Personen
auswählen, die Gebrauchtkleider einsammeln und verhandeln, ohne sich
um die Auswirkungen auf die Wirtschaft in Entwicklungsländern zu
kümmern;

Informationen
über
die
Auswirkungen
von
Gebrauchtkleidern
zusammentragen und verteilen, und daran arbeiten, dass die Personen,
die diese Kleider spenden, aufgeklärt werden;

auf der ITBLAV-Webseite und dem Internet ein Forum über Handel mit
gebrauchten Kleidern organisieren;

Kampagne für Recycling mit anderen Mitteln als Wiederverkauf führen;

Kampagne
für
Armutsabbau
Entwicklung führen.“
durch
nachhaltige
wirtschaftliche
(Quelle:
http://www.itglwf.org/displaydocument.asp?DocType=CongressDocuments&Index=
1031&Language=DE)
Activity Report 2000 – 2004 by Neil Kearney, General Secretary ITBLAV
“Moreover, the uncontrolled import of second-hand clothing causes substantial
harm to the local industry and results in employment losses. The channels of
distribution of used clothing should thus be more tightly controlled.“
Quelle: http://itglwf.org/pdf/Reportof%20Activities(EN).pdf, S. 114)
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Garment Production in Malawi,
A joint publication of SOMO and Workers College, Amsterdam / Durban 2003
“Since economic liberalisation in Malawi there has been a flood of second hand the
country. In the informal sector second hand clothes stalls abound and one walk far
in Blantyre to see evidence of this. Second hand clothes sellers normally containers
dotted around the city which costs a small amount every evening. Informal retail
sector has sprung up and is used by the majority of Malawians. Interviewed during
the research reported that due to the wholesale importation clothes it has become
futile to produce for the local consumer market unless on from a corporate concern
or the government. The clothes are a lot cheaper given the low incomes earned in
Malawi it is to be expected that consumers would supply. Whilst much of this
clothing originates from charities providing aid it is most business of profit with
sellers of street markets often earning double garment worker. This has all but
removed producers catering for the local and a number of smaller manufacturing
have closed down as a result. It importation of second hand clothes near future
and as a consequence production has been lost to the consequence of this
regardless of the trade dispensations, preferential is the only lifeline of the industry
predominantly export focused.”
(Quelle: http://www.cleanclothes.org/ftp/03-09-malawi.pdf, S.12)
International Labour Organization (ILO): Note on the proceedings
Tripartite Meeting on Labour Practices in the Footwear, Leather, Textiles and
Clothing Industries, Geneva, 16-20 October 2000
5. (…) Moreover, the uncontrolled import of second-hand clothing causes
substantial harm to the local industry and results in employment losses. The
channels of distribution of used clothing should thus be more tightly controlled.
29. (…) It should also develop research projects on the impact of the trade in
second-hand clothes on employment and working conditions in TCF industries and
undertake a study on the social implications of hours of work.
34. (…) The
many parts
workers out
already poor
burgeoning trade in used clothing was destroying local industries in
of the world, particularly in Africa, and was leaving thousands of
of jobs. Thus, the trade in used clothing was further impoverishing
communities.
Quelle:
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/techmeet/tmlfi00/conclude.htm)
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