Despite the prevalence of misleading claims suggesting that donating used clothes harms the environment, Kenyan clothes traders, represented by the Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya, are emphatically encouraging individuals to continue contributing to this cause during the Christmas season. The Association recently unveiled a comprehensive report titled ‘The Quality of Second-Hand Clothes Imported to Kenya and the Associated Environmental Impacts,’ aiming to dispel inaccuracies surrounding the trade.
The report meticulously examined the economic and environmental implications of the second-hand clothes market in Kenya, challenging assertions of environmental damage and waste. Contrary to such claims, the study revealed that the sector significantly bolsters the country’s economy, reduces textile waste, and plays a vital role in curbing carbon emissions and other environmental effects associated with the textile industry.
Teresia Wairimu, Chairperson of MCAK, emphasized the importance of continued donations, stating, “This Christmas, we urge your readers to persist in donating their used clothes, which serve as a crucial lifeline for the livelihoods of traders in Kenya and contribute to the preservation of our natural world. The misinformation circulating in Western media this year has been detrimental to an industry that, as our report demonstrates, is inherently low waste and environmentally friendly.”
Wairimu clarified that the real threat to the environment is fast fashion, not the second-hand clothing sector. She called for policy decisions to be grounded in robust evidence, involving consultation with the industry and individuals dependent on the sector for their livelihoods.
Conducted by Nairobi-based Information Research Solutions and edited by Professor Patrick Diamond of Queen Mary University London, the research behind the report aims to challenge and rectify the false narrative that has jeopardized millions of jobs and livelihoods associated with the second-hand clothing trade. The hope is that the report’s release will mark a turning point in dispelling misconceptions and fostering a more accurate understanding of the industry’s positive contributions to both the economy and the environment.”
