TOXIC JEANS (Lesotho, 2009)

When the big American clothing chain Gap decided to move the production of jeans and T-shirts to Lesotho, it meant a substantial economic boost for one of the poorest countries in the world. Today there are about fifty clothing factories active there, most owned by Taiwanese. But there were also negative effects, including the dumping of tons of contaminated waste in dangerous locations in populated areas. The dumps attract desperate people – including mothers and children – who hope to recover usable pieces of denim and plastic from among the waste. While searching through it they come into contact with dangerous chemicals, needles and razorblades. Furthermore, the dumps are regularly set on fire, releasing many unhealthy substances into the air. Despite the health com-plaints – such as breathing difficulties and skin conditions – the easy availability of scrap textiles means that people no longer cook over coal at home, but burn chemically treated cloth. Thus the economic lifebuoy which the clothing industry threw to Lesotho has at the same time proven to be a threat to public health.The process of manufacturing and dying jeans has led to a humanitarian and environmental catastrophe. Local water is turned blue from dyes, and offcuts, dumped and burnt, pollute the air. Maseru, Lesotho. July 2009.