Do you want to start your own mitumba business in Kenya but do not know how or where to start? Then this article is for you.
Mitumba refers to second-hand items. The mitumba business sells second-hand clothes imported from Canada, China, Europe, America, Australia, and other western countries.
Kenyans mostly buy mitumba clothes compared to new clothes because they are cheap and unique. This increases the demand for mitumba, making the mitumba business an effective and profitable endeavor.
According to research by the Institute of Economic Affairs and Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya, 91.5% of families nationwide purchased second-hand clothing.
We’ll walk you through the precise steps successful mitumba businesses follow to start a profitable mitumba clothing business in Kenya.
Considerations to make before opening a mitumba business in Kenya
- To start a mitumba business, you need capital from Ksh 1000 to 1 million, depending on the size of your ideal business. You can start your mitumba business by selecting a few clothes worth Ksh 1000 from a seller, or buy a bale, or being a supplier by importing your mitumba bales.
- Identify your target market before starting your business by conducting market research. Your target market can be students, working-class, women, kids, or men.
- Business location. Find a suitable place where you may sell your mitumba clothing to many people. Compared to physical businesses, the online market is one of the simplest to start since it eliminates fees such as business permits, rent, and energy bills, among others.
- Find a dependable supplier who will provide you with mitumba bales on time. You can purchase merchandise in bales or select individual things at a wholesale cost.
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Categories of mitumba bale in Kenya
Crème Bales: They include brand-new clothing that has been manufactured or purchased but has never been worn. This makes this bale the most costly.
Grade 1: This category has almost new clothes. They consist of high-quality, lightly used apparel with minimal defects.
Grade 2: they are nearly as good as Grade 1 but fall short. The seller must fix the defects before going to the market because they are readily apparent.
Grade 3: This bale has minor faults like ink stains, tiny splits, fading color, or dents in the leather. Fortunately, most of these issues can be resolved before selling the product. The expense of these repairs ultimately translates to a higher selling price, making it difficult to sell such things.
Grade 4: Grade 4 bales of clothing contain items with substantial faults that you might be unable to fix. They are the cheapest mitumba clothing and don’t sell well since you could have to sell certain items very cheap.
Read also; How to Start Boutique a business in Kenya
The most profitable mitumba clothes
All mitumba clothes sell, but some clothes sell more than others. Many mitumba sellers specialize in women’s clothes, handbags, and shoes. Women’s items like t-shirts and chiffon tops have a high demand in the market. Nevertheless, you must conduct a market analysis to determine what people want.
Why you should start a mitumba business in Kenya
- Most Kenyans prefer mitumba clothing to new clothing, so you’ll always have a ready market.
- Mutumba business has a high-profit margin.
- Flexible location
- Low startup capital – you can start your mitumba business with as low as Ksh 1000
- A wide range of items – You may sell everything from children’s clothing to shoes, trousers, coats, shirts, and socks.