Shocking images show mountain of unworn fast fashion visible from space
Chile’s Atacama Desert has become a dumping ground for unworn clothes that couldn’t be sold
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A mountain of fast fashion in the Chilean desert can be seen from space.
The shocking landfill site has grown slowly over time.
But it is now so big it has been spotted by a satellite, Jam Press reports.
Chile’s Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth. It receives less than 1mm of rain a year each year, but some parts of it haven’t had a drop in more than 500 years.
But it is now a dumping ground for unworn clothes that couldn’t be sold.
Christmas sweaters and ski boots are amongst the garments in the dumpsite.
High-resolution satellite images, captured by the photo app, Skyfi, reveal the horrifying extent of the dumpsite.
They found the coordinates of the mountain by reaching out to people on the communication platform, Discord.
A spokesperson for SkyHi said: “The satellite image that we ordered of the clothes pile in Chile’s Atacama Desert really puts things into perspective.
“The size of the pile and the pollution it’s causing is visible from space, making it clear that there is a need for change in the fashion industry.”
The fast-fashion market size is said to be increasing from $106.42bn to $122.98bn in 2023, according to a report by The Business Research Company.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments