REPORTS AND STUDIES
THE FUTURE FOR APPAREL AND
FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY IN KENYA
This report refutes claims that second-hand clothing weakened Kenya’s textile industry, showing that Mitumba complements local apparel rather than replacing it. Scientific data confirms that both sectors can coexist, fostering growth and industrialisation in line with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and AU’s Agenda 2063 goals.
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Authored by:
Kwame Owino
Institute of Economic Affairs, Kenya & Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya
THE GUCDA REPORT
This report challenges prevailing narratives about the second-hand clothing industry in Ghana. Contrary to claims that up to 40% of imported SHC is waste, the report indicates that waste levels are at the most around 5%. This discrepancy suggests that negative perceptions of the SHC trade is based on flawed data.
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Authored by:
Stephen Odonkor
Metropolitan Research and Education Bureau and E-volution International.
PROMOTING TE CIRCULAR TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN AMERICA
This report seeks to capture and demonstrate the economic impact of the secondhand clothing industry throughout Central America.
It reveals that the sale and consumption of secondhand clothes is vital for the livelihoods and living standards of millions of households in Central and South America. Moreover, much of the economic and social impact of the used clothing industry is not captured in official statistics.
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Authored and Published by:
Garson & Shaw
REUSE BEFORE RECYCLING
The focus of this research paper is the potential long-term economic impact of the used clothing and footwear sector on the four Central American countries of Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador. The research shows that the secondhand clothing trade is creating employment for hundreds of thousands of citizens while generating significant tax revenues to governments, and is likely to do so long into the future.
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Authored by:
Professor Patric Diamond
Published by:
Garson & Shaw
THE STATE OF SECOND-HAND CLOTHES IN KENYA
This report explains the socio-economic impact of the second-hand clothes sector in Kenya and was published in response to the misguided ban on import of second-hand clothes during covid. An important report made before textile waste was an issue.
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Authored by:
Kwame Owino
Institute of Economic Affairs in Kenya.
QUALITY OF IMPORTED SECOND-HAND CLOTHES TO KENYA
To address claims around textile dumping, the Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya (MCAK) commissioned an evidence-led review that drew on available
empirical evidence as well as a large number of interviews to examine how the sector is managed in relation to dealing with waste. This is their report.
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Authored by:
Professor Patrick Diamond,
Queen Mary University - London
SECOND HAND CLOTHING INDUSTRY IN EAST AFRICA
This report emphasizes the critical role of second-hand-clothing in the region's economic and social landscape. The second-hand clothing (SHC) industry supports up to 3.4 million jobs across East Africa, providing affordable, quality clothing to low-income households and generating significant tax revenues through higher-than-average tariffs on SHC imports.
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Authored by:
Professor Patrick Diamond
Queen Mary University of London and commissioned by the Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya
THE GLOBAL PRODUCTION NETWORKS OF SECOND-HAND...
A description of the second-hand clothes sector seen in a global context. This report demonstrates that the second-hand clothing sector makes a fundamentally important economic contribution to Africa and Kenya. It provides jobs and livelihoods to millions, helping to increase consumer purchasing power.
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Authored by Anuja Prashar
Mitumba Institute and Research Centre of Kenya
KENYA'S SECOND-HAND CLOTHING INDUSTRY
This report argues that the main task for government is to support
the SHC industry and provide a competitive operating environment for the mitumba trade in Kenya. At present, Kenya is not able to fully realise the economic benefits of SHC. The report contends that the Government of Kenya must do more to protect the mitumba sector, supporting traders all over the country.
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Mitumba Institute and Research Centre of Kenya
EAST AFRICA TRADE
INVESTMENT HUB
EAC Partner States can benefit from both used clothing jobs and revenues while still enjoying AGOA benefits. The policies
and revenue streams are not mutually exclusive. In fact, AGOA was designed in part to support the growth of competitive
domestic sectors like textile and apparel manufacturing.
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Overview of the Used Clothing Market in East Africa
EXPORT OF N
EXPORT OF NORDIC USED TEXTILES
This project aimed to map out exports of used textiles from Nordic countries and to estimate the potential socio-, economic- and environmental impacts, benefits and risks of these textiles in destination countries.
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Authored by
David Watson, David Palm, Louise Brix, Maria Amstrup, Frode Syversen and Rasmus Nielsen
Nordic Counsel of Ministers
PHASE-OUT OF SECOND-HAND CLOTHING IMPORTS
This report examens the assumption that domestically produced clothing competes directly with used clothing, and
that the imports of used goods have contributed to the decline of the domestic garment industry. However, a review of the existing literature has shown that there are several reasons for the decline of the African garment sector.
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Authored by
Linda Calabrese and Neil Balchin and Maximiliano Mendez-Parra
Overseas Development Institute
TEXTILES IN AFRICA
This study show that there are important economic gains from the trade in recipient countries. In Kenya, the state (and ultimately the macro-economy) and second-hand clothing importers are the main financial beneficiaries. However, in relative terms, the trade has had a very positive impact on poverty alleviation during the current harsh economic climate.
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Authored by
Dr Simone Fields
KENYA POVERTY REPORT
A report about poverty levels of Kenya and different ways of measuring and how these methods could improve for better assessments.
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Authored by:
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics
MADE IN RWANDA
This study is published as a part of the Fashion Revolution Policy
Dialogue project in partnership with the British Council which aims
to shed light on the multiple perspectives of a particular issue
through a series of evidence-based discussions, interviews, focus
group discussions and workshops with stakeholders.
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Authored by:
Fashion Revolution and The British Council
STATUS OF SECOND-HAND MARKET IN MOZAMBIQUE
This report conclude that there is no evidence of dumping of second-hand clothing waste in Mozambique. Press reports of SHC waste streams or landfills are unfounded, and from the aithors view, inaccurate.
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Authored by:
Consulting for Africa Abalon Capital Limitada
SECOND HAND CLOTHING MARKETS - UGANDA & TANZANIA
This report concludes that even if the percentage of waste material is generally low in imported goods, this does not negate the challenges associated with textile waste. The research suggests that interventions aimed at improving waste management and upcycling capacities for textile waste are preferable to broad restrictions on second-hand clothing (SHC) imports, which could adversely impact livelihoods and economic mobility in these regions. Click at the picture to read the whole report.
Authored by:
Jennifer & Richard Wang
Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP) programme
ASSESSMENT STUDY - KANTAMANTO MARKET
The purpose of this study is to provide insights and an enhanced understanding regarding the handling of used textiles in the vicinity of the Kantamanto market in Accra, Ghana.
Improvements in knowledge, derived from this study of multiple parameters, will aid the development and piloting of recycling. This recycling will improve the circular economy, reduce waste, as well as reduce emissions and conserve resources.
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Authored by:
Christoph Engelhardt, Elisa Berste, Florian Kölsch from Dr. Kölsch Geo- & Umwelttechnik GmbH
DEAD WHITE MANS CLOTHES
Authored by:
OR Foundation
This is the much debated research from OR Foundation that suggests that second-hand import to Ghana concists of 40% waste. A figure which has never been evidenced with robust data or a transparent methodology. This research is partly relying on a thesis produced in 2019, which according to itself has low scientific value. Nevertheless this is the without question most cited piece of research in media when it comes to textile waste in Africa.
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SUSTAINABILITY ASSESMENT OF TEXTILE REUSE AND RECYCLING
The findings in this study indicate that reusing textiles offers the most significant climate benefits, regardless of whether the reuse occurs in Europe or elsewhere. This advantage is primarily because the highest environmental impact arises during the manufacturing phase of clothing. Extending the lifespan of garments through reuse reduces the need for new production, thereby diminishing the associated environmental footprint.
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