27 November
Exploring the value chain of used textiles in a Circular Economy – A case study of textiles for reuse from Sweden to Kenya
How does the export of used textiles work in practice? In spring 2025, researchers followed the journey of used textiles collected in Sweden to the second-hand markets in Kenya. The study reveals a well-functioning, market-driven value chain where reuse extends the life of garments, conserves resources, and reduces environmental impact. This webinar highlights how export for reuse can be responsibly organized and why functioning reuse value chains deserve more attention in the debate on used textiles.
About the Webinar
In this webinar, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute presents the findings from “From Collection of Used Clothes in Sweden to Reuse in Kenya”, followed by a panel discussion bringing together perspectives from Sweden, Europe, and Kenya to explore how current reuse value chains operate and the challenges they face.
Key Findings
- The study identifies a well-functioning, market-driven value chain where garments unsold in Sweden find a second life in Europe and Kenya, contributing to a circular economy.
- Sorting centers classify used clothes into over 400 categories by quality, type, and appearance; items unfit for reuse are redirected to recycling.
- Effective sorting and quality control are key — in 2024, around 38,000 tons of used textiles were sorted at Humana Lithuania’s facilities in Vilnius and Oman, including 11,000 tons from Sweden.
- Sales of collected textiles from Sweden play an important role in funding charitable organizations and social enterprises.
- In Kenya, the second-hand trade is well organized and mitumba is widely seen as an affordable and attractive choice across social groups. However, the waste management systems that will handle any clothes put on this market after their end of life remain limited, a challenge not limited to the second-hand clothes.
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In Sweden, the new rules for textile waste collection introduced on 1 January 2025 have created system challenges, as bins intended for reusable textiles are now also used for waste collection.
Programme
09:00 – Welcome & Opening Remarks
Introduction to EU Policy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles
09:05–09:20 – Presentation of Key Findings and Insights
From Collection of Used Clothes in Sweden to Reuse in Kenya: A Case Study of Humana Lt’s Value Chain for Second-hand Clothes
Presenter: Amanda Martvall, Textile Expert, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute
09:20–09:25 – Keynote Address: An East African Perspective
Speaker: Teresia Wairimu, Chairperson, Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya
09:25–09:55 – Panel Discussion
Bridging Perspectives on the EU–Kenya Circular Textile Trade
Moderator: Mathias Gustavsson, Senior Researcher, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute
Panellists:
Swedish Perspective
- Gunnar Weiring, Business Developer, VafabMiljö
- Cristofer Ståhlgren, Head of Logistics, Human Bridge
EU Perspective
- MEP Saskia Bricmont, Co-chair, European Parliament’s Sustainable Textile Working Group
- Alan Wheeler, CEO Textile Recycling Association and General Delegate - Textiles Division, Bureau of International Recycling (BIR)
East-African Perspective
- Jennifer Wang, Sustainability Consultant, Full Cycle Resource Consulting and UNCTAD
09:55–10:00 – Closing Remarks
To the report: From Collection of Used Clothes in Sweden to Reuse in Kenya
This is a 1-hour digital session held on Microsoft Teams, moderated by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute.
The webinar is funded by Humana Lt, a textile sorting center based in Vilnius, Lithuania. Humana Lt sources used textiles from various European markets and is part of a corporate group engaged in manual sorting and resale of second-hand clothing in Europe and Africa, including operations in Kenya through Baltic Textile Trading (BTT).