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Indonesia's thrift surge fuels waste and textile industry woes

14 Dec '25
3 min read
 Indonesia's thrift surge fuels waste and textile industry woes
Pic: Shutterstock

Insights

  • The influx of ultra-cheap used garments is devastating Indonesia's textile sector.
  • Some estimates suggest smuggled clothing has eroded the market share of domestic players by up to **%**.
  • Beyond the economic fallout, the thrift boom is also accelerating a mounting waste crisis with sellers.
  • Authorities are now cracking down on smuggling and urging a shift towards locally made textile products.

Indonesia’s second-hand clothing boom, despite a long-standing ban on importing used clothes (since ****) aimed at protecting the domestic textile industry, preventing health and environmental risks, and promoting local production, is fast becoming one of the country’s most troubling economic and environmental dilemmas.

What began as an underground trade catering to budget-conscious shoppers has evolved into a full-blown national concern—one that is hollowing out the industry, overwhelming landfills, and upending the domestic market.

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