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Category: Community News

Written by Kim

When Kenyans went to shop for clothes this Christmas, almost all of them chose at least one piece from China, such as a shirt and a pair of trousers.

Clothes made in China have become increasingly popular at clothing retail stores in the East African nation, providing an alternative for those who do not want to buy second-hand clothes imported from Europe and the Untied States, commonly known as mitumba.

Moreover, the China-made clothes have offered hundreds of traders enormous business opportunities.

Business is brisk at a shopping mall on the Luthuli Avenue, one of the busiest streets in Nairobi. The multi-storied mall hosts dozens of traders, all selling clothes and shoes imported from China.

At one stall, a variety of children's clothes for both boys and girls were on display. Grace Njeri, the owner of the stall, was busy serving customers.

According to Njeri, every trader at the mall sells clothes imported from China. "We have about 50 stalls here and, if you check, you will see brand new clothes that have names like 'Ancient Dragon' and 'Jin Jiang.' These are labels from China," she said.

Many Kenyans, said Njeri, now prefer clothes from China over mitumba because they are brand new.

"Unlike previous years, people are moving away from second-hand clothes. They now want new clothes, which are fairly priced. That is why clothes imported from China are popular," she said.

Njeri said most clothes traders in Nairobi have shifted to imported Chinese merchandise.

"People are abandoning the sale of second-hand clothes. If you came here about a year ago, most of these stalls were dealing with second-hand clothes, but the trend is changing as tastes of consumers also change," she said.

Bonric Mutisya, a trader at an adjacent mall, specializes in men's clothing.

Mutisya said many Kenyans are now turning to clothes from China because of improved quality. "That is why many traders have come into the business, because of increased demand," he said.

Official statistics from both Kenya and China show that bilateral trade between the two countries has grown steadily over the years. The volume reached 1.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2010, up 40 percent on the previous year.