Dar es Salaam. Secondhand clothing traders across major markets in Dar es Salaam say they are increasingly frustrated by the rising cost coupled with what they describe as a noticeable decline in the quality of imported garments.
The combination, they warn, is squeezing profit margins, unsettling long-established supply chains, and threatening livelihoods in a sector that employs thousands nationwide.
The concerns come at a time when the Ministry of Industry and Trade maintains that Tanzania’s secondhand clothing industry remains strong, insisting that the imported items are of high grade.
The government is simultaneously pushing ahead with its cotton-to-clothing strategy, a long-term plan aimed at boosting local textile manufacturing, reducing import dependence, and strengthening value addition.
Yet for traders on the ground, the picture looks very different. Bale prices have risen sharply in recent months. A bale that once cost Sh600,000 can now fetch up to Sh770,000 depending on the supplier and the type of clothing inside.
Despite the higher prices, traders say the quality of clothes inside the bales has dropped significantly.
Tanzania imports its secondhand clothes and footwear from multiple regions, including Canada, South Korea, the United States and the United Kingdom.
But traders argue that the high-quality, grade-one items they once relied on have become harder to find.
At Mwenge Market, trader Irine Fisoo told The Citizen that she has been sourcing her merchandise from Nairobi for years—traditionally one of East Africa’s most dependable hubs for high-grade secondhand garments. But she said the market has changed dramatically.
“For about three or four years now, it has become very difficult to find good-quality clothes,” she said. “Most of what we get is average, yet prices keep going up.
Sometimes when you open a bale, only a few pieces are good, and the rest are low-grade clothes I cannot sell in my shop.”
She explained that a bale costing Sh1.2 million used to yield at least 70 to 80 percent high-quality clothes. Today, she said, the same amount may produce less than 30 percent of grade-one items—making it increasingly difficult to turn a profit.
“Customers often complain when prices go up, without understanding how hard it has become to get good-quality clothes,” Ms Fisoo added. “I open two to three bales every week but still end up with mostly poor-quality items.”
Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Dr Hashil Abdallah said the government is focused on enhancing domestic production and attracting investment in the textile and garment sector.
“We are implementing the cotton-to-cloths strategy,” he said. “Tanzania’s secondhand clothing business is doing well, and the imported clothes are of the highest grade. Secondhand clothes vary in class—some are high-priced, while others are cheaper.”
According to Dr Abdallah, the cotton-to-clothing strategy aims to ensure that all locally produced cotton is turned into finished garments.
The strategy also seeks to attract foreign investors such as Tooku and Mazava to set up operations in Tanzania—producing for both domestic use and export markets.
He listed eight operational textile and garment factories currently active in Tanzania, including 21st Century Textile Mills (Morogoro), Sunflag Textiles (Arusha), Mwatex (Mwanza), Namera Textiles Mills (Dar es Salaam), NIDA Textiles (Dar es Salaam), A to Z Textile Mills (Arusha), Manzava Fabrics (Morogoro), and Tanzania Touku Garments (Dar es Salaam). These factories produce khanga, vitenge, T-shirts, cotton fabrics, blankets, yarns, bedsheets, jeans and sportswear.
Meanwhile, traders say volatility in the secondhand market has made business increasingly unpredictable. At Karume Market, shoe trader Khatibu Shaban said he has stopped opening bales altogether after suffering repeated losses.
“I now buy only two or three pairs of shoes a day from those who open bales,” he said. “It’s safer than opening a big shipment and risking losses.”
At Makumbusho, trader Ally Kipendi described the business as a matter of chance.
“Sometimes we find good clothes, but other times, weeks go by without getting items customers want,” he said. “Many shipments go to Nairobi, and the exact reason hasn’t been explained to us.
The government could investigate because people buy bales and end up making losses.”
As the debate continues between traders insisting quality is falling and the government maintaining that the system is functioning well, the reality for many market operators is increasingly precarious.
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