Regulating Kenya’s circular textile market

Kenya absorbed a fifth of China's second-hand clothing exports in 2021, according a new report. This reflects the substantial nature of the “mitumba” market in many East African countries. However, limited sorting and recycling infrastructure on the continent means that much of this clothing ends up in (often illegal) landfills. Kenya, one of the largest importers in Sub-Saharan Africa, has implemented a "Code of Practice for Inspection and Acceptance Criteria for Used Textile Products" to better manage these imports. Additionally, the East African Community is developing standards to ensure improved inspection and management of used textiles across the region.

• In 2020, Kenya updated its protocol for importing used textiles and footwear, requiring physical examination and certification.

• The East African Community released the third edition of its Draft East African Standard for Textiles in April 2023.

• The sorting processes for second-hand garments are costly and labor-intensive due to the presence of difficult-to-recycle blended fibers.

• Second-hand clothing imports have negatively affected the domestic textile industry in Kenya and other African countries.