Michael Gah, a talented artist based in Ghana, demonstrates remarkable skill in repurposing vibrant clothing waste obtained from tailoring shops and Kantamanto in the Greater Accra Region, transforming it into breathtaking artworks.
Through his creations, which depict various scenes ranging from children playing with toy trucks to women singing and men sporting matching trousers, he addresses environmental concerns stemming from discarded fashion off-cuts and fabric waste.
Michael Gah’s newest art piece: Using clothing waste as his medium, the artist, who resides in Accra, skillfully crafted his latest textile artwork—a grand piece featuring five men adorned in matching trousers.
”I got them from Kantamanto, from a buddy who sews, and Wooding,” he said, Africanews reports.
For Gah, using textile waste is not just about finding cheap materials; he also has environmental reasons.
“I don’t want them to end up in the seas, in the gutters, to choke them,” the talented creative said.
Accra’s Textile Waste Challenge: Kantamanto Market, a Thriving Hub for Second-Hand Clothing in West Africa, Highlights Ghana’s Need for Assistance in Managing Textile Waste.
Environmental health expert Yaw Akwaa Lartey reveals that Ghana receives a staggering two million second-hand garments on a weekly basis.
Shockingly, investigations indicate that 40 percent of these items end up as waste, ultimately being disposed of in landfills or crude, unofficial refuse dumps scattered throughout the country.
