It ain't fashion, if it ain't sustainable

WasteAid

Second Chance / Owino Market

25 March 2025

6 minutes

Owino Market is a major economic hub, providing affordable clothing and employment for thousands, including importers, distributors, vendors, tailors, and informal waste collectors.

Fragmented Data on SHC Supply Chain Makes It Difficult to Accurately Assess Stakeholder Impact

Uganda is the fifth largest importer of second-hand clothing in Africa, and the Owino Market in capital Kampala is key to the trade in the country. A recent report looked at Owino and its impact on business and livelihoods. Study author Jennifer Wang talks about the fine print in the report.

Subir Ghosh

Interview

Deep Focus / Africa Seconds / III

12 June 2024

7 minutes

Wholesalers who are buying in bales from importers support the hundreds of market traders who may buy specific bale or more likely part of a bale. There are over 50,000 traders in Owino market actively selling every day in the heart of Kampala.

Shared Across the African Landscape: The Way Second-Hand Supports Local Economy

The Uganda Circular Textile project is designed to support a transition to a local textile manufacturing base by incorporating clothes that would otherwise end up in landfills into new products and design. Leading the project, which kicked off earlier this year, is WasteAid. Director of Programmes, Michelle Wilson, explains what it takes to navigate the second-hand clothing landscape in the country.