Around the world, dozens of countries restrict imports of secondhand textiles, with some imposing outright bans and others applying punitive tariffs or erecting non-tariff barriers to block trade. These measures undermine legitimate commerce, limit consumer choice, and often drive demand into unregulated black markets. SMART opposes such restrictions and advocates for open, rules-based trade that supports both economic opportunity and sustainable textile reuse.
SMART actively supports countries that allow the free flow of secondhand textiles and works to ensure that U.S. trade policy — and that of other nations where our members operate — pressures governments to remove these barriers. We are seizing the Trump Administration’s ongoing negotiations on tariff reciprocity with global trading partners as a key opportunity to highlight the harm caused by these bans and to call for their elimination. By aligning our advocacy with broader trade discussions, SMART ensures that the economic, environmental, and humanitarian benefits of secondhand textile trade remain at the forefront of international policy conversations.
