Reduce, reuse, recycle is a basic principle of consumption in Africa
On the African continent, the relationship with fashion and the consumption of clothing is explained by a very specific market structure and purchasing behaviours that revolve around ethical values rooted in the functioning of the Family entity. The acronym RRR, which stands for reduce, reuse, recycle, is a basic principle of consumption in Africa. We go to the tailor to fit a garment and extend its life, just as others go to Zara or Galeries Lafayette, or browse the Shein website.
Clothing is considered a repairable and reusable object
It’s not a question of income or social status. It’s not a behavior reserved for the poorest social classes. Clothing is considered a repairable and reusable object. You can go to a dressmaker for a simple alteration or transformation to reuse a garment or give it as a gift. This is a common practice. When it comes to analyzing the fashion-buying behavior of the African population, we need to be more specific, because the relationship with fashion is not limited to buying. Clothes handed down by one or more family members make up a significant part of the wardrobe. Second-hand clothes that have been recovered and transformed are not necessarily bought. They are passed on. When Zahara Jolie – Pitt wore one of her mother Angélina Jolie’s dresses on the red carpets in October 2021. The event is commented on and noticed by several media. Angélina Jolie is celebrated for her avant-garde approach to fashion and transmission. Zahara Jolie – Pitt is also praised for preferring to wear one of her mother’s dresses to one of her rare public appearances, rather than a new outfit. Fashion is seen here as an object of transmission, revealing a certain identity.
A sustainable consumption alternative
This is the perspective that has driven the relationship with fashion in Africa for generations. We choose a garment to meet a specific need: a uniform for school, a suit for work, an outfit for a ceremony. You take the time to choose your fabric, to visit your designer and pre-order your made-to-measure piece. We take advantage of this visit to the workshop to try on a few pieces from the ready-to-wear collection. We wait a week or two for the final fittings before going home with our garment. It’s a far cry from fast fashion. All these stages create a different relationship with the garment than that of the consumer who waits 20 minutes before reaching the checkout counter to buy a piece produced in 10,000 copies. The perspectives and analyses of the African fashion consumer are often oriented by comparison with the West. While this comparison is useful, it needs to be contextualized to provide a key to reading that invites reflection and questioning.
