Why the Basel Convention matters

The Basel Convention is the world's primary treaty governing the international movement of hazardous and other wastes. Originally adopted in 1989, its purpose was to prevent countries from shifting environmental burdens across borders.

For decades, used clothing largely existed outside the centre of Basel discussions. That changed in 2025, when parties agreed to begin work specifically examining used textiles and textile waste.

The key question is deceptively simple: when is a used textile a reusable product, and when does it become waste?

The answer matters because Basel rules apply to waste, not products. If large volumes of second-hand clothing are classified as waste, shipments could become subject to permits, notifications, inspections and additional restrictions.

Supporters argue that stronger controls are needed to prevent waste from being exported under the guise of reuse. However, Reuse News' recent investigation found that the most widely cited claims about textile waste exports rely on limited evidence, contested estimates and assumptions that are often repeated more frequently than they are verified. If future regulations are built on an incomplete understanding of how second-hand markets function, there is a risk that policies intended to address waste could also restrict legitimate reuse systems that deliver environmental, economic and social benefits.

The process remains at an early stage. The Basel Secretariat has collected submissions from governments, NGOs, industry organisations and other stakeholders. Those views are now being reviewed ahead of discussions at the Open-ended Working Group meeting in June 2026.

What emerges from that process may become one of the most influential global reference points for how used textiles are regulated in the future.