Salaula
Encyclopedia
The Chibemba term salaula means "to select from a pile in the manner of rummaging" or for short, 'to pick'. Some African nations such as Zambia
have a vast internal consumer demand for second hand clothes or hand me downs from rich nations in North America and Europe. The clothes arrive in these local markets in large bales or packages and are then cut open so buyers can sort through them and pick what article they like the most.
The Salaula industry faces many criticisms. One is that it tends to disturb the internal textile industry. Local textile business cannot compete with cheap used clothes coming from abroad. Defendants of the industry argue that market demand should dictate what is fair or not.
Another criticism is towards the profit companies are generating from these clothes since these clothes were originally donated to non-profit organizations such as Goodwill
. Defendants of the practice argue that non-profit organization must sell these donations in order to acquire money necessary to fund their social projects.
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
have a vast internal consumer demand for second hand clothes or hand me downs from rich nations in North America and Europe. The clothes arrive in these local markets in large bales or packages and are then cut open so buyers can sort through them and pick what article they like the most.
The Salaula industry faces many criticisms. One is that it tends to disturb the internal textile industry. Local textile business cannot compete with cheap used clothes coming from abroad. Defendants of the industry argue that market demand should dictate what is fair or not.
Another criticism is towards the profit companies are generating from these clothes since these clothes were originally donated to non-profit organizations such as Goodwill
Goodwill Industries
Goodwill Industries International is a not-for-profit organization that provides job training, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who have a disability, lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges...
. Defendants of the practice argue that non-profit organization must sell these donations in order to acquire money necessary to fund their social projects.