mitumba

British

/ mɪˈtʊmbə /

noun

1. used clothes imported for sale in African countries from more developed western countries
2. ( as modifier )
  
  the mitumba economy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of mitumba

C20: Swahili, literally: bale

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

mitumba

Sceptics like Joel Okalany, a Ugandan designer whose brand Ekikumba Fusion upcycles used clothing into statement pieces, argues that East Africa is not prepared for the end of mitumba.

From BBC ● May 23, 2026

As the supply of mitumba dwindled in Rwanda, many customers started buying imported fast fashion.

From BBC ● May 23, 2026

The announcement did not go down well with Ugandan mitumba traders such as Aaron Sekky.

From BBC ● May 23, 2026

"Let's not kill mitumba - give the consumer power of choice."

From BBC ● May 23, 2026

Tanzanians and Kenyans call used clothing mitumba, which means “bales,” as it comes off the cargo ships in the shrink-wrapped cubes like the ones I saw at Trans-Americas and Salvation Army.

From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2012

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023