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.

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

From BBC • May 23, 2026

Likewise, Lisa Kibutu, a Kenya Fashion Council board member, says many jobs involving mitumba are "hand-to-mouth" roles that do not allow for growth and social mobility.

From BBC • May 23, 2026

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

From BBC • May 23, 2026

But Teresia Wairimu Njenga, MCAK's chairperson, argues that mitumba sellers are in fact "the champions of preservation of our environment".

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