Fabric Waste Dimensions in Selected Suburbs of the Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana

This study examined the sustainable utilisation pathways of pre-consumer fabric waste generated by tailoring and dressmaking enterprises in Ghana and assessed their contribution to resource efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable textile production. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected from tailoring and dressmaking enterprises using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. The study found that pre-consumer fabric waste is routinely generated during garment production and is primarily utilised through reuse, recycling, and upcycling into value-added products. These practices support resource conservation, waste reduction, and income generation. However, inadequate recycling infrastructure, limited technical expertise, and weak institutional support hinder wider adoption of sustainable utilisation practices. The findings highlight the need for investment in textile recycling infrastructure, capacity building, and stronger stakeholder collaboration to promote circular economy practices and sustainable textile waste management in Ghana. This study contributes to the limited empirical literature on pre-consumer fabric waste by focusing on tailoring and dressmaking enterprises in Ghana, an under-researched segment of the textile value chain, and provides evidence to support sustainable resource utilisation and circular textile systems.