Danish-Kenyan Collaboration on Circular Textiles
Kenyan professionals inspired by Danish innovation & circularity within textiles
The Kenyan Textile Landscape
Kenya is one of the African countries similarly to Ghana, Angola and more that import second-hand clothing from Europe, USA and China.
I recently had the privilege of participating in a meaningful knowledge exchange between Denmark and Kenya, focused on circular textiles and sustainable innovation in the fashion and textile sectors. As a deeply appreciated gesture, I was gifted a traditional Maasai cloth – a beautiful and symbolic reminder of the cultural depth and connection at the heart of this collaboration.
Why Kenya? Why now?
Kenya is actively working to revive its textile industry through its Cotton, Textile & Apparel (CTA) Policy. Today, much of the country’s textile production is export-oriented (primarily to the U.S.), while the majority of fabrics are still imported from Asia, leading to high costs and reduced local value creation.
To address this, Kenya is embracing a new motto:
“Buy Kenya, Build Kenya.”
The goal? Strengthen local production, reduce reliance on imports, and create jobs.
A delegation with purpose
A Kenyan delegation visited Denmark to explore how we're working with:
🔄 Circularity in fashion and textiles
📜 Upcoming EU legislation impacting the sector
🧪 Innovation in textile waste and recycling technologies
It was an opportunity to exchange insights and explore context-specific solutions that could inspire change and adaptation back in Kenya.
Kenya’s moves on sustainability
Despite the challenges, Kenya is making impressive legislative strides toward circularity:
Sustainable Waste Management Act (2022)
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) (2023) – now including textiles
These frameworks signal a real commitment to embedding circular principles into the country's waste and resource management strategies.
The textile waste challenge
The Kenyan textile sector faces several critical challenges, especially around textile waste:
▪️ 177,000 tons of secondhand clothing were imported in 2022 – a 76% increase since 2013
▪️ 20–50% of this clothing is unsellable, leading to major waste issues
▪️ Up to 200 tons of textile waste is generated daily
▪️ Most waste ends up in landfills or incinerated
▪️ The secondhand clothing market (“mitumba”) supports ~2 million people and generates over $100 million in tax revenue – making regulation a delicate balancing act
Mitumba second-hand market in Nairobi
What Kenya can build on
Key learnings and takeaways for the Kenyan delegation included:
📍 Strong cross-sector partnerships – public, private, and civil society
📍 Research & development – especially collaborations between universities and industry
📍 Pilot projects – to test circular solutions that fit the local context
📍 Raising consumer awareness – to support behavior change and long-term impact
Final reflections
This exchange reminded me how globally interconnected our textile systems are – and how essential it is to develop inclusive, locally relevant pathways to circularity.
Denmark and Kenya might be miles apart, but when it comes to textile sustainability, we have much to learn from one another and also collaborate.