Mitumba at a Crossroads: Balancing Trade, Industry and Sustainability in East Africa’s Clothing Sector
Across East Africa, markets like Gikomba in Nairobi and Owino in Kampala hum with early-morning bargaining and the crackle of plastic-wrapped bales of second-hand clothing. Known locally as mitumba, these garments, sourced from donation bins and unsold stock in the Global North, have become indispensable to traders and consumers. For millions, mitumba offers access to affordable clothing, with 91.5% of Kenyan households relying on these garments. In Tanzania, out of 720 million pieces of clothing consumed annually, an estimated 540 million pieces are second-hand.
Second-hand clothing is a pillar of East Africa’s informal economy. The trade supports low-income households, enables micro-entrepreneurship, and promotes environmental benefits through reuse. Yet, it also sits at the centre of growing policy tensions. As the sector expands, so do concerns about industrial dependency, rising textile waste, and the long-term effects on local manufacturing. The trade also raises questions about waste colonialism, as discarded garments from the Global North are increasingly offloaded onto African markets.
The sector is a paradox. On one hand, it is a source of livelihoods and accessibility, but also a flashpoint for debates around industrialisation, sustainability, and global inequality. This article explores the socioeconomic and ecological stakes of East Africa’s second-hand clothing sector and outlines how a balanced, forward-looking policy approach could reconcile economic inclusion with sustainable industrial development.
Market Size, Scope and Demand Drivers
East Africa is one of the largest recipients of second-hand clothing globally. In 2019, Kenya imported 185,000 tonnes of used clothing, making it the region’s top importer. Uganda and Tanzania also account for significant volumes, with Uganda importing $95.9 million worth of SHC in 2023, compared to $79.1 million worth of new clothing that year.
Key exporters are the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and Canada. While the U.S. directly exports to East Africa, its share has declined as sorting hubs in the United Arab Emirates, China, India, and Pakistan increasingly repackage Western garments for African resale. In Uganda, China remains the leading supplier of SHC, having seen its exports grow exponentially between 2012 and 2014 to surpass those of both the U.S. and the UAE.
From the moment a bale of clothing arrives at the port, to when it is displayed on a market stall, the supply chain involves a long line of stakeholders. Importers arrange for shipments, often without full knowledge of the contents. Clearing agents handle paperwork and taxes at the ports. Wholesalers then sort and distribute the clothes to traders in markets across the country. Market vendors clean, display, and sell the garments, while tailors and menders give damaged items a second life. Each stage supports informal jobs, and together they form a system that sustains local economies in towns and cities across East Africa.
The demand for second-hand clothing is strong and shaped by several key factors:
Affordability. With the cost of living rising and incomes under pressure, mitumba remains one of the few ways for families to clothe themselves at a low price. In Kenya, for example, more than 90% of households rely on second-hand clothing.
Fashion and variety. Young people, in particular, are drawn to mitumba because it offers access to well-known international brands and allows shoppers to express personal style without paying high prices for new clothes.
Quality. Many consumers view second-hand clothes from the United States or Europe as better-made and longer-lasting than new clothes imported from Asia. Traders also prefer garments from these markets because they are easier to sell and less likely to become waste.
The Promise of Second-hand Clothing in East Africa
The economic footprint of second-hand clothing in East Africa is substantial. A 2024 Humana People to People report estimates that the trade sustains 1.28 million jobs directly and supports the livelihoods of 2.5 million people across just five African countries. In markets such as Owino in Kampala, where 70% of vendors are women, the trade promotes gendered economic inclusion. According to development economist Joseph Feyertag, every tonne of imported clothing supports an average of 6.5 jobs, making second-hand clothing one of the most employment-intensive sectors in the region’s informal economy.
In addition to its employment impact, the trade fosters entrepreneurship among low-income groups. With relatively low capital requirements, it enables traders (many of them women) to operate microbusinesses that support their households and entire communities. For example, a survey by Humana People to People found that 77% of SHC retailers in Kenya, Ghana, and Mozambique were women. For many, mitumba is not just a source of income but also a path to independence, especially in urban and peri-urban areas where formal employment is scarce.
Environmental benefits also reinforce the sector’s value. By extending the lifespan of garments, second-hand clothing helps divert textile waste from landfills and reduces emissions associated with new clothing production. While Greenpeace warns that reuse should not be mistaken for recycling, it nonetheless identifies second-hand trade as a relevant part of the circular economy. This environmental dimension is becoming increasingly important as interest in sustainable consumption and vintage fashion grows, particularly among urban middle classes.
At the policy level, second-hand clothing aligns with national goals such as Kenya’s Green Industrialisation Strategy. This strategy promotes sustainable manufacturing practices that complement second-hand clothing principles. Furthermore, the trade aligns with broader frameworks like the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which encourages open markets and trade liberalisation, with certain conditions. For instance, countries are expected to eliminate barriers to U.S. trade and investment, though whether this conditionality benefits East Africa equitably or limits domestic policy space remains contested.
The Challenges of Second-Hand Clothing
Chief among the demerits of SHC is its displacement effect on domestic textile industries. Critics argue that the flood of cheap imports undermines local manufacturers, making it nearly impossible to compete on price or scale. In 2015, the EAC proposed a regional ban on SHC, citing ambitions for industrialisation. Only Rwanda implemented the ban but its decision resulted in suspension from duty-free access under AGOA, illustrating the wider trade and diplomatic consequences of restricting such imports.
Quality concerns persist as a substantial portion of imported clothing is unusable due to stains, damage, or poor sizing—what Kenyan traders call phage. Although outside East Africa, in Ghana, up to 40% of clothing that arrives is discarded, ending up in landfills, rivers, or incinerators. This creates a growing burden on waste systems and contributes to environmental degradation. The steady diversion of clothing from the Global North into African markets has also been described as a form of waste dumping, intensifying the region’s environmental strain.
The sector’s informality further complicates matters. With limited regulatory oversight, second-hand trade suffers from tax leakages, inconsistent product quality, and labour vulnerabilities. Most actors operate outside formal systems, such as paying in cash or selling without licenses or permits, making it difficult to enforce standards or extend protections.
Moreover, while reuse reduces pressure on virgin resources, East African countries lack the infrastructure to manage the accumulating textile waste. In Nairobi, for instance, much of the unsellable clothing ends up dumped or burned in the Dandora dumpsite, worsening environmental harm. Without better waste systems, the sector’s environmental impact remains a serious concern.
Finding the Right Policy Balance
Outright bans on SHC are appealing in theory, they often backfire in practice. Rwanda’s 2017 ban, for instance, led to mass job losses in the informal trade, particularly for women. Uganda and Kenya initially supported the ban but later backed down due to U.S. trade pressure under AGOA, highlighting the sector’s geopolitical entanglements.
Bans also risk fueling black markets, reducing clothing access for low-income families, and escalating trade tensions, as seen in the AGOA-related pushback. The Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) cautions that a hasty ban on second-hand clothing imports could lead to short-term job losses, reduced import tax revenues, and increased imports of cheaper new clothes from low-cost producers in Asia.
For a more strategic and gradual approach, policymakers should consider:
Regulating, rather than banning, SHC through minimum quality standards, better customs checks, and tighter waste protocols.
Formalising second-hand trade through registering traders, offering tax incentives, and providing access to credit and social protection.
Investing in textile competitiveness through targeted support for small garment firms, industrial clusters, and public procurement preferences.
Strengthening waste infrastructure, including sorting centres and textile recycling pilots.
Enhancing regional coordination under the EAC’s Customs Union to harmonise standards and share best practices.
Conclusion
Second-hand clothing is more than a trade; it reflects global inequalities, local entrepreneurial spirit, industrial policy constraints, and the environmental costs of fast fashion in low-income contexts. For East African countries, the challenge is not to choose between mitumba and domestic industry, but to build a bridge between them.
Through smarter regulation, inclusive formalisation, and strategic investment in green textile capacity, East African policymakers can leverage SHC as a transitional tool, rather than treating it as an obstacle. The goal should not be to burn the bale, but to stitch it into a sustainable industrial future.
