What can be considered as the main reason for this free exhibition of vetements personelle? Surely one of the main reasons behind this exposure of newly washed clothes is the use of a natural source of warmth called sun. The idea of washing clothes is to wear clean clothes so why not dry them in a more secure and less exposed environment.
It is even possible to find the complete family closets lying on the pavement. Newly washed clothes on dirty pavements where approximately a hundred pair of feet or even more have walked on before the clothing exhibition was opened to public. Pedestrians have to serpentine their way through this free exhibition. Hanging, lying, drying just name it, every possible layout has been exercised and many more to come. I have never seen a Grand National exposure of clothing as in Liberia. Used clothing provided by the West to help out the needy has become an income generating activity in Liberia. In modern uptown jargon it is called VINTAGE. In Liberia it's cash.
What happened with those wide serene looking green meadows, kilometers of freshly clean clothes while the wind gently dances with every clean piece? Picture a family happy in white clean clothes, family looks happy and of course the detergent multi national happy. What might be an ideal image for a fancy detergent advertisement but not applicable in Liberia.
Detergent brands are expensive and is not always in the reach of the common people. Products of soap making activities provide an affordable substitute in the washing process. After observing the wash lay-out of Liberia in an environment of dust and mud I'm still amazed that clothes do look clean.
