Traders in Kenyan textiles have expressed strong opposition to a proposed EU ban on the export of second-hand clothes following discussions at an EU environment ministers meeting in Brussels this week.
Denmark, Sweden, and France are pushing for the EU to enforce the Basel Convention on used clothes, which would prohibit the export of hazardous textile waste and require consent before importing textile waste.
“The export of textile waste from the EU to developing countries is causing significant environmental, social, and health issues. The EU needs to stop this practice,” said Soren Jacobsen, Denmark’s deputy permanent representative to the EU, at the Environment Council meeting on Monday (25 March).
Many experts argue that second-hand clothing hinders African industrialization and supply chain development in the textile industry. This led the East African Community to consider banning second-hand clothing imports in 2016, although the plan was eventually dropped.
Despite this, numerous businesses across the continent rely on the second-hand clothing market for their livelihood.
“No one is forcing us to buy trash. We purchase good quality clothes, and if a supplier tries to sell us low-quality items, we are happy to reject their shipment,” said Teresia Wairimu Njenga, chair of the Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya.
The industry is aware that an export ban would severely impact its future.
Research commissioned by the Mitumba association last year stated that the second-hand clothing trade in Kenya supports two million jobs and sustains 20 million livelihoods.
Wairimu Njenga has criticized the “inaccurate misinformation spread by Western media about the second-hand clothes trade,” which she believes has unfairly demonized the industry and put millions of jobs at risk in the name of environmental protection.
She added, “Instead of harming the environment, second-hand clothes play a vital role in promoting reuse, a circular economy, and sustainability in the textile sector.”
The French government is leading the push for a ban after French lawmakers passed a law imposing fines of up to €10 per item of clothing by 2030 and banning advertisements for such products. Currently, Europe sends 90 percent of its used clothes to Africa and Asia.
In 2022, Kenya imported 177,386 tonnes of used clothing, a 76 percent increase from 2013, according to UN trade data. Ghana, Senegal, and South Africa are also major markets for second-hand clothing in sub-Saharan Africa.
Africa imports $1 billion (€0.93 billion) worth of second-hand clothes annually, making up 30 percent of the global market.
