KENYA has emerged as the largest importer of second-hand clothes in Africa, earning the unfortunate distinction of being an easy dumping ground for used apparel while struggling to revive its collapsed textile industry.
According to the latest trade data compiled by the United States-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Kenya imported second-hand clothes and textiles worth Sh38.5 billion ($298 million) in 2023, making Kenya the continent’s leading buyer of mitumba, the Kiswahili term for second-hand clothing, surpassing Nigeria at number four.
The imports represent a 12.45 per cent increase from Sh34.28 billion ($265 million) in 2022, as shipments of used garments continue to flood the Kenyan market, meeting the growing demand for affordable clothing.
Eighteen-Eleven Media