info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
Photo from Internet
Several East African countries have agreed to ban imports of second hand clothes by next year. Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda have already started taxing them more heavily.
It's part of a move to try and boost local manufacturing. But in Kenya, many people don't want a ban. Across Nairobi, there are many street markets where shoppers rummage through piles of second hand clothes, bargaining for a good deal.With prices ranging from as little as under a dollar to about 5 dollars an item, business is good.
"We are fond of second hand clothes. New clothes today are sometimes made from cheap material but we can rely on second hand clothes because we know it is affordable and the quality is good, " Felista Nthenya, street vendor told Al Jazeera.
Government figures show that in 2014, second hand clothing contributed $95m to the Kenyan economy that grew to $128m dollars by 2016.
"Oxfam says that in 2015, East Africa imported more than $150m worth of second hand shoes and clothes, mostly from the US and Europe. But cheap imported clothing hasn't made it easy for the local textile market to grow- already struggling with poor facilities and lack of money."
