Kenya’s Second-Hand Clothing Sector Battles Misinformation as Global Regulations Loom

 A global battle is brewing over the future of the second-hand clothing trade, and at the forefront is the Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya (MCAK). As the year closes, MCAK is fiercely challenging what it calls a campaign of misinformation that threatens the livelihoods of millions within the sector. The organization is directly calling on global policymakers to prioritize data-driven decisions over what it describes as biased and inaccurate narratives, particularly as new regulations loom over the industry.

The past year has seen MCAK embark on its most ambitious international outreach to date. Chairperson Teresia Wairimu Njenga has been a consistent presence in policy circles across the EU, the UK, Ghana, and the US, making the case for the crucial role of the second-hand clothing industry.

In her travels, she says she has heard a consistent theme from textile collectors, sorters, upcyclers, and recyclers: the industry is facing escalating costs and regulations that threaten their very existence and ability to compete with the fast fashion machine.

The impending wave of global policy changes, spearheaded by the European Union’s new textile supply chain framework, is a key driver of concern for the Kenyan trade. These policies, while aiming to improve sustainability, are poised to drastically alter international trade dynamics and could significantly impact developing economies like Kenya. The stakes are high: the second-hand clothing industry employs approximately two million traders in Kenya and is a regular source of affordable apparel for over six million households.

“We are not against reasonable regulation, but those regulations must be built on facts,” said Njenga in a recent statement to this outlet. “The narrative that second-hand clothes are just waste is not only inaccurate but dangerously misrepresents the realities of our industry.”

MCAK points to several academic studies from Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda that conclude that less than 5% of imported second-hand clothes are classified as waste, sharply contrasting with a widely circulated claim that puts the waste figure as high as 40%. The group contends that this inflated figure is part of a coordinated misinformation campaign by groups backed by fast fashion players, who see the second-hand industry as a competitor.

MCAK stresses that second-hand clothing isn’t the root cause of waste management problems. Instead, the organization highlights that its industry is part of a sustainable, circular economy by giving a second life to clothing that would otherwise end up in landfills. MCAK is lobbying for policymakers to focus efforts on addressing localized waste management infrastructure and the unsustainable practices of fast fashion’s overproduction.

“Our advocacy this year has taken the Kenyan second-hand trade global,” Njenga emphasized. “Second-hand clothing is a critical element of the circular economy, offering vital, affordable apparel to consumers in Kenya and across Africa. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that the vast majority of imported second-hand clothes are not waste, yet our operators face punitive taxes and regulations.”

The looming 2025 implementation of the EU’s mandatory textile collection underscores the urgency of MCAK’s appeals. The group advocates for policymakers to promote reuse, collection, sorting, upcycling, and recycling while holding new clothing producers accountable for their impact on the global waste stream.

“We are urging policymakers to not be misled by campaigns driven by those who profit from the demise of our industry: the fast fashion behemoths,” Njenga concluded. “By falsely depicting the second-hand clothing trade as a villain, some policymakers risk accelerating textile pollution, not preventing it.”

The Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya, the leading representative of Kenya’s second-hand clothing traders, has amplified the complex conversation around global textile waste. As the world wrestles with sustainability and trade, the industry’s future remains a crucial case study on global supply chains and developing economies. The debate is far from over.