Redeeming the textile industry in Kenya; a tighter policy on second-hand clothing
Date
2024
Authors
Rukaria, R. G.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Strathmore University
Abstract
This research project methodically examines the dynamics of the second hand clothes market and evaluates the current legislative framework to revitalize Kenya's textile industry. The main goals are to find regulatory gaps, assess how they would affect the textile industry, examine international best practices, and develop well-informed recommendations based on the lessons learned from prosperous countries like China and Rwanda. This investigation's breadth includes a thorough examination of Kenya's textile industry's past, linking its decline to the proliferation of used apparel and the effects of international trade agreements, most notably AGOA. The research broadens its scope to examine the socio-economic and environmental consequences, doing comparative evaluations with other countries such as Rwanda. Laws pertaining to resale are carefully reviewed, and several recommendations are made to rectify regulatory shortcomings that are identified. The methodology used is qualitative and makes use of a lot of secondary research from books, news articles, reports, and internet sources. The study uses a prescriptive technique, which is supported by the formulation of useful suggestions. Simultaneously, content analysis is employed to analyse prevailing viewpoints and concepts related to the market for used clothing. Important discoveries highlight a clear negative association between the rise in used apparel and the downfall of local textile industries throughout Africa. Environmental risks and skewed competitiveness are fostered in part by regulatory inefficiencies and valuation techniques' opacity. The lessons learned from Rwanda's and other successful policy implementations highlight the potential benefits of strict rules in building a resilient textile industry. The suggestions made include strengthening and enforcing laws pertaining to the importation of used clothing, copying effective policy initiatives, instituting strict quality control procedures, encouraging domestic textile manufacturing, and harmonizing legislative frameworks with global waste disposal guidelines. Although the study strives to be as comprehensive as possible, review of existing regulatory frameworks in the textile and used apparel industries could lead to even more improvement. Furthermore, a comparison analysis incorporating other African countries facing similar difficulties would enhance the study's scope and relevance. In summary, this research project aims to provide practical legal and regulatory interventions that are informed by international best practices for managing the second-hand clothing market, so making a significant contribution to the revitalization of Kenya's textile industry.
Description
Full -text Undergraduate research project
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Citation
Rukaria, R. G. (2024). Redeeming the textile industry in Kenya; a tighter policy on second-hand clothing [Strathmore University]. http://hdl.handle.net/11071/15704