Beyond the EU Ban: How Africa Can Turn Textile Flows into Industrial Opportunities
The global textile industry is changing, and Africa needs to be prepared for what this means for its markets, manufacturers and consumers.
On 19 July 2026, the European Union’s prohibition on destroying unsold clothing, clothing accessories and footwear came into effect for large companies, subject to specified exemptions. The measure, introduced under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), is part of Europe’s wider transition towards a circular textile economy.
Under the new rules, businesses are expected to prioritise alternatives such as selling surplus stock, donating, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing and recycling products rather than destroying them.
For Africa, this development raises important questions. How might changing European textile policies affect the movement of used clothing and textile materials? Can African countries turn these flows into opportunities for manufacturing, recycling and industrial development?
Our latest policy brief, “EU Ban Policy on Destroying Unsold Clothing: Implications for Africa’s Textile Industry,” examines these questions and considers how Africa can respond strategically to the changing global textile economy.
Understanding what the EU policy means for Africa
The EU exported more than 1.44 million tonnes of used textiles in 2025, with Africa and Asia accounting for approximately 43% and 48% of these exports respectively, according to the European Environment Agency.
However, it is important to understand what the new EU regulation does and does not mean. It does not require European companies to export unsold clothing to Africa. The future direction of textile flows will depend on several factors, including European reuse and recycling capacity, product quality, consumer demand, trade policies and logistics.
Nevertheless, changes in how Europe manages surplus and used textiles could influence international redistribution channels and create new demands for sorting, reuse, recycling and material recovery.
This makes it important for African countries to understand not just how much clothing enters their markets, but also its condition, composition, destination and eventual use.
Africa’s second-hand clothing economy is more than an import market
Second-hand clothing supports a wide network of economic activities across Africa. Importers, wholesalers, market traders, transport operators, retailers, repairers and tailors all participate in a system that provides affordable clothing and supports livelihoods.
In Ghana, Kenya and other African markets, these activities are deeply connected to informal employment and local enterprise.
The policy challenge is that not every garment entering these markets remains suitable for reuse. Some can be repaired or altered, while others may be repurposed or processed for material recovery. A proportion eventually becomes residual waste.
Treating all second-hand clothing as waste overlooks its economic value. Equally, assuming that every garment can be reused ignores the environmental and infrastructure challenges associated with materials that can no longer serve their original purpose.
Africa therefore needs better systems to distinguish between reusable clothing, repairable garments, recyclable textiles and residual waste.
Why banning or restricting imports is not enough
The debate around second-hand clothing in Africa is often presented as a choice between allowing imports and restricting them to protect domestic manufacturers.
While restrictions may create additional market space for local producers, they do not automatically