A two-million-livelihood test
Kenya**;s mitumba trade supports importers, wholesalers, transporters, repairers and market sellers, while supplying affordable apparel to millions of consumers. Industry representatives estimate that around two million livelihoods depend on the ecosystem. The figure is not a government employment census, but it captures why European circular-fashion rules have become an African economic issue.
The immediate risk is often overstated. The European Union has not banned exports of reusable clothing, and the Basel Convention did not approve a global restriction at its June **** meeting. What is changing is the burden of proving that collected textiles are genuinely reusable rather than waste being shipped under a second-hand label.
Demand is still rising
