In Nairobi, Kenyan designers are using their creativity to combat textile waste and promote ethical fashion choices. The Gikomba market, East Africa’s largest secondhand market, is a focal point for this movement. Designers like Isichy Shanicky and Conde Tausi source secondhand clothing from Gikomba and other similar markets to create original pieces and reduce the environmental impact of their trade.
Secondhand clothes, largely imported from abroad, are a significant sector of Kenya’s economy, with $169 million worth imported in 2021. The Gikomba market alone employs around 65,000 people. However, this thriving secondhand market has drawbacks, including the negative impact on the local textile industry and environmental concerns.
Many secondhand garments are of poor quality or damaged, with a significant portion ending up as waste. The discarded clothes contribute to pollution, with plastic waste disintegrating into particles that harm the soil and oceans. To address these issues, Nairobi Fashion Week organized a photo shoot at a dump site as part of its Just Fashion campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the industry’s environmental and social challenges and encourages responsible consumer choices and government regulation to promote sustainability.
Kenya’s emerging generation of designers, like those at Maisha by Nisria, are reshaping the fashion market by repurposing secondhand garments and discarded fabrics. These young designers find inspiration in places like Gikomba and view their work as a way to make a positive environmental impact while providing dignified employment. Ethical fashion choices are gaining traction, and designers like Deepa Dosaja are leading the way in promoting sustainable and ethical practices within the industry. Their efforts aim to transform Kenya’s fashion market and its complex relationship with secondhand clothing into a more sustainable and responsible industry.
