Jakarta – Indonesia is moving to enforce a 2014 ban on imported used clothing amid a surge in shipments, despite concerns from a ample secondhand market sector. While the government insists it isn’t targeting thrifting itself, the crackdown aims to curb the influx of used garments, a practice prohibited under existing trade law. The decision has sparked debate,pitting legal compliance against the economic impact on the estimated 7.5 million Indonesians involved in the used clothing industry, and comes following appeals from vendors seeking a pathway to legalization.
Jakarta –
The Indonesian government is cracking down on imports of used clothing, despite calls from vendors to legalize the secondhand market, officials said Friday, November 21, 2025. The move comes as the volume of imported used garments entering the country has risen significantly.
Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Maman Abdurrahman clarified that the government’s focus is on regulating the import of used clothes, not the thrifting business itself.
“Let me make this clear, we’re not talking about thrifting. We are addressing the import of used clothing. That’s what we’re regulating first. Importing used goods is prohibited by law,” Abdurrahman said in Jakarta.
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According to Abdurrahman, the amount of imported used clothing entering Indonesia has increased substantially.
The crackdown aligns with a 2014 trade law, specifically Law Number 7, which prohibits the import of used clothing. “The volume of imported used clothing has increased significantly, as you all know from the data. That’s what we’re trying to regulate,” Abdurrahman added.
The government is working to ensure that thrift store vendors can continue operating by transitioning to selling locally produced goods. Approximately 1,300 local brands are prepared to supply products to these vendors, officials said.
“Our main focus now is to find the right formula for a suitable substitution. That’s all we’re working on,” he stated.
Trade Minister Budi Santoso previously affirmed that legalizing imported used clothing is not an option. Santoso emphasized that the ban isn’t related to tax issues, but is a direct result of the existing law prohibiting the import of used garments.
“The prohibition of imported used clothing isn’t because of unpaid taxes. Even if taxes were paid, it would still be prohibited, because used clothing is simply not allowed,” Santoso said at the Ministry of Trade in Jakarta on Friday, November 21, 2025.
The call for legalization came from Rifai Silalahi, a vendor at Pasar Senen market, who stated he would be willing to pay taxes. Silalahi voiced his concerns to the DPR’s Public Aspiration Agency on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
Silalahi believes legalization is a better solution than outright prohibition, especially considering the thrifting industry supports an estimated 7.5 million people across Indonesia.
He warned that eliminating the thrifting business could jeopardize the livelihoods of those 7.5 million individuals. “What we’re hoping for is a system similar to those in developed countries, where thrifting is legal. Why is it legal there and not here? Because nearly 7.5 million people in Indonesia are involved in the used clothing industry,” Silalahi said at the DPR building in Jakarta on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
(rea/hns)
