Africa Fights Back Against Flood of Used Clothes From Abroad

African nations are increasingly confronting the challenge posed by the influx of used clothing from abroad, a trend that local fashion entrepreneurs argue is stifling their growth. "We compete with used clothing, but we cannot compete on price," says Zia Bett, founder of Kenyan womenswear brand Zia Africa. Elizabeth Paul, owner of Kuya Creations in Tanzania's largest city, Dar es Salaam, echoes this sentiment. "In my store, the minimum price for a dress is 50,000 Tanzanian shillings (around $19.20). People tell me, 'For 50,000 I can buy 10 used dresses, so I'll choose those,'" she explains.

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We compete with used clothing, but we cannot compete on price.

The East African Community (EAC) previously criticized the flood of used garments and considered a ban a decade ago. While pressure from the United States thwarted that effort, the debate has resurfaced. Uganda, whose president once famously criticized used clothing as items from "dead white people," has introduced an additional 30% import tax to bolster its local apparel industry and protect the environment. Shortly after, Kenya's finance ministry proposed changes to how used clothing is taxed, aiming to simplify import rules. However, public outcry over potential price increases led to the proposal's swift removal from the budget bill.

Kenya already imposes a 30% duty on used clothing imports, which is 5 percentage points higher than the tariff on new garments. This measure aims to support domestic manufacturers. Despite these efforts, Kenya remains Africa's largest importer of used clothing, receiving nearly 180,000 tons in 2022, a 76% increase from 2013, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity. In Uganda, used clothing is the most sought-after apparel type, surpassing both imported new clothing and locally produced items, a 2024 study by the government's Economic Policy Research Centre found. The new 30% environmental levy on used clothing in Uganda is in addition to an existing 35% import duty and 18% VAT.

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In my store, the minimum price for a dress is 50,000 Tanzanian shillings (around $19.20). People tell me: 'For 50,000 I can buy 10 used dresses, so I'll choose those.'

Traders in the 'mitumba' sector, which provides livelihoods for millions, argue that the new levies are detrimental. They emphasize that the used clothing trade "keeps a lot of people," encompassing not just retailers but also importers, wholesalers, tailors who repair damaged items, and vendors selling food and drinks at markets, as reported by the BBC. While official figures are scarce, research commissioned by the Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya (MCAK) suggests that up to 4.9 million people in Africa depend on this trade.

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keeps a lot of people