Every year, an estimated 37 million low-quality plastic garments are exported from Europe to Kenya under the label of “used clothing,” according to trade data analysis. A significant share of these garments arrives in such poor condition—dirty, damaged, or contaminated—that they are neither wearable nor reusable, raising serious concerns about the true nature of the second-hand clothing trade.
One-Third of Imports End Up Dumped or Burned
Data show that of the 112 million second-hand clothing items shipped annually to Kenya, up to one-third are immediately dumped or burned upon arrival. This influx translates into an average of 17 garments per Kenyan each year, with at least eight items per person classified as completely unusable waste.
Most of these discarded garments are made from synthetic fibers such as polyester and nylon. When burned, they release toxic emissions that contaminate air, soil, and water sources, posing long-term environmental and public health risks to local communities.
Also Read: Plastic Free July Spurs Consumer Concern Over Synthetic Materials
Industry analysts point to deeper structural problems within the global fashion system. Today, more than 69% of all textiles produced worldwide are plastic-based, materials that are rarely recycled in practice. While marketed as part of a circular second-hand economy, the trade increasingly functions as a covert waste disposal channel for fast fashion, allowing overproducing markets to externalize their environmental costs.
In effect, the export of “used clothing” has evolved into a mechanism for offloading unrecyclable textile waste onto developing economies. Africa, critics argue, has become the pressure valve of an industry driven by overproduction, disposability, and synthetic fibers—absorbing the environmental damage and health consequences of a global system that prioritizes volume over sustainability.
