Table of Contents
Thinking of starting a mitumba business in Kenya? Whether you want to sell in Gikomba,Kisumu, Eldoret,Mombasa, online, or your local market, mitumba (second-hand clothes) remains one of the most profitable businesses in Kenya for small capital. In this guide, you’ll learn how to start a mitumba business in Kenya, including capital needed, bale types, fast-moving clothes, licenses, profits, and key supplier tips.
✅ Quick Overview: How to Start a Mitumba Business in Kenya
Here’s a summarized process those in Mitumba business wont tell you:
- Choose your niche: kids’ clothes, ladies’ wear, shoes, bedsheets, jackets, etc. The choice of the items to sell depends on various factors. For example, if you stay near a university or place where students frequent, then you better sell ladies’ wear or shoes or jackets or men’s wear since you stand a chance of getting a market from ‘comrades‘ who want to look fancy in cheap mitumba clothes.
- Decide selling location: open-air market, shop, online (Instagram, WhatsApp). If you prefer selling in a shop or open air market then find a place where there is a high traffic of people walking on foot. Finding such a location is ‘hotcake’ for your second hand clothes business in kenya. A good location, for example, is along a route to a middle class and low class populated estate since you are guaranteed of people walking to and from their homes. Avoid a route towards poshy estates like Karen or Muthaiga. ‘Hutauza’ because people drive to those estates, and they prefer buying brand new cloths, not fast moving mitumba clothes. As for online mitumba, you can work from anywhere but you stand to grow your mitumba business if you stay within an urban area as you will not incur too much costs on sending your mzigo to a buyer.
- Raise capital: starting from Ksh 5,000 to Ksh 100,000+ depending on scale. If you are ambitious enough, capital should not be an issue. Look, go to Gikomba with SH.1000, pick items costing 50 bob per item, and market them to your friends, schoolmates, college mates, churchmates at a cost of 100 bob only. At the end you will have SH. 2000. Minus expenses you will end up with about SH.1500. Go back to Gikomba and repeat the process using Whatsapp or Facebook or Tiktok to market. If you remain consistent for 3-5 months, you will have raised enough capital to establish a shop for your mitumba business.
- Find a trusted supplier: Most people asking how to start a mitumba business in Kenya usually want to locate suppliers of mitumba bales. When they ask those already in business, they never get the right answer. The truth is that no serious mitumba business owner wants to let out their secret of where they get their mitumba bales. In fact, some will mislead you if you ask them about second-hand clothes business in Kenya. Others will just tell you ni God Manze (Slang for Its all from God). Here is the truth on mitumba clothes business in Kenya. Don’t be lazy, do it yourself- take a day and walk around Gikomba or Eastleigh or Kongowea and do window shopping as you compare prices. Get deeper into those malls and godowns and inquire from those suppliers, don’t fear to ask questions, after all, its a business you want to begin. Also, inquire from online suppliers. Get their contacts and meet them physically, see their mitumba bales, and compare prices. Many successful mitumba business owners never had godfathers to show them where to get suppliers, they got out and searched for themselves. In the process, they landed the best deals. For your information, if you get a person claiming to help you find suppliers then know he or she is a broker. You will get cheaper deals if you do it yourself. The best time to window shop is early morning when most suppliers and traders are opening mitumba bales for sell. If you arrive late you will find the suppliers gone, and those who bought from suppliers will pretend to be the suppliers ‘na utagongwa’. Read our detailed guide on Mitumba Bales Trusted Suppliers and Prices.
- Choose your bale type: Camera, Grade 1, Grade 2 (explained below).
- Get business licenses (county permit). This one should come if you got adequate capital and want to establish a shop or an open air market. You know how Kanjo can mess up things, and you dont want to be affected. Just get the right permits, and in this case, county Trading License is enough for a mitumba business in Kenya. If you you are doing it online then you don’t need such licenses.
- Start small, reinvest profits, and build trust with buyers.-Whether selling online or in a shop, building trust with buyers is the pillar of your mitumba business. Work on being friendly and honest to your customers, and they will bring others to you. You won’t believe how your business will thrive if you build trust with your buyers. Many people ask how to sell mitumba clothes online, and the simple answer we give them is to build trust with buyers, and that is the gate-pass to building wealth using second-hand clothes business in Kenya.
💰 How Much Capital Do You Need to Start a Mitumba Business?
Your capital depends on how you plan to start:
| Type of Setup | Estimated Capital | What You Can Start With |
|---|---|---|
| Hawking / Market stall | Ksh 5,000 – 15,000 | Bale cuttings or leftovers |
| Half bale resale | Ksh 15,000 – 30,000 | Grade 1 bale cut and repack |
| Full bale sale | Ksh 25,000 – 50,000+ | Original sealed bale |
| Boutique setup | Ksh 50,000 – 100,000+ | Camera bales + rent + branding |
Tip: Many beginners start with “open bales” or leftovers from established sellers, then scale up once they understand customer demand. As we stated in Quick Overview section, your capital can be as low as SH.1000, and your strategy and consistency can help build more capital to do bigger things. Don’t be scared with the approximate figures in the table, you can begin with any capital for profitable mitumba business in Kenya.
👉Also Read: If you’re looking for other ways to grow your income, check out these smart daily investment options in Kenya.
🧵 Types of Mitumba Bales: Camera, Grade 1, Grade 2 Explained
When buying mitumba bales, especially for the first time, you’ll encounter terms like Camera, Grade 1, and Grade 2. These indicate the quality and resale potential of the clothes inside.
- Camera Bale: Also known as crème or premium quality. These contain first-selection pieces — like new, branded, stylish, and high-demand items. Ideal for boutique setups or selling online. Most expensive, but fetch the highest profits.
- Grade 1 Bale: Slightly used clothes with minimal wear and good fashion value. Profitable and affordable for most beginners. Suitable for stalls or market traders.
- Grade 2 Bale: These are mixed quality or slightly worn-out clothes. Very cheap to buy but may have a higher percentage of unsellable items. Best for rural or low-income areas.
- Assorted Bales: Contain a mix of qualities and categories. Can be risky but may suit sellers who sort and price accordingly.
👉 Pro Tip: Always ask your supplier which grade you’re buying, and if possible, get photos or references before purchasing.
🧠 Best-Selling Mitumba Clothes in Kenya
Different clothes sell better in different seasons and regions. Here are some top performers:
- Ladies’ tops & dresses – always in demand
- Children’s wear – school holidays and festive season
- Men’s trousers & shirts – good for workplaces and churches
- Bedsheets, towels, duvets – fast-moving and high-margin
- Shoes & handbags – especially “Camera” quality
👉 Tip: The choice of niche and business location is the most crucial thing you can do if you want a profitable mitumba business in Kenya. You get this right and you will sell 24/7 for a whole year.
🛒 Where to Buy Mitumba Bales in Kenya
Most mitumba bale sellers are found in:
- Gikomba Market, Nairobi – biggest wholesale hub
- Eastleigh, Nairobi – known for quality and fashion focus
- Kongowea, Mombasa-wholesale hub.
- Kisumu, Eldoret, Nyeri – growing local suppliers
- Online dealers on Facebook / WhatsApp – riskier but more accessible. Exercise due diligence, and even ask to meet physically to avoid being conned. Here are some Facebook Groups to try out: Kenya Best Mitumba Bales ,Mitumba Online Kenya Mitumba Chap Chap and Mitumba Zone Eldoret
Before buying:
- Ask for testimonials or photos
- Confirm if the bale is sealed or opened
- Clarify grade and origin (UK, Canada, China, Australia)
Here is a sample of question to make in Facebook groups:
“Hi everyone,
I’m new to the mitumba business in Kenya and looking to source good quality bales, specifically for ladies’ dresses/tops and children’s wear (Grade 1/Cream).
Could anyone recommend reliable online or physical dealers you’ve had good experiences with?
I’m particularly interested in:
- Types of bales: Which bales (e.g., UK, USA, China) have yielded the best quality for these categories?
- Pricing: What’s a typical price range for a good quality bale of ladies’ dresses or children’s clothes?
- Delivery options: Do they offer reliable countrywide delivery?
- Payment terms: Are they flexible with payment, or is it strictly upfront?
- Trustworthiness: Have you personally encountered any issues, or do you know of dealers to avoid? I’m keen to meet physically if possible to inspect bales before committing.
Any advice or direct recommendations would be greatly appreciated as I aim to establish a long-term supplier relationship. Please feel free to tag reliable dealers or share their contact information.
Thanks in advance for your help!”
📜 Business Permits & Licenses Needed
To legally operate your mitumba business:
- Single Business Permit – From your County Government (≈Ksh 3,000–10,000)
- Public Health License – For stalls selling clothes, shoes, or undergarments
- KRA PIN, E-TIMs and Tax Compliance Certificate – For registered shops (optional for hawkers)
Tip: For mobile hawking, some counties require a daily or weekly fee instead.
💸 How Much Profit Can You Make?
- Small seller (bale leftovers): Can make Ksh 5,000–10,000 weekly
- Mid seller (half bale): Profit of Ksh 10,000–20,000 per bale
- Full bale / boutique: Profit can hit Ksh 30,000–50,000+ per bale
Your profit depends on:
- Bale quality
- Customer base
- Pricing strategy
- Location and marketing
📲 Selling Mitumba Online in Kenya
There is a growing group of people asking how to do mitumba business from home or how to sell mitumba clothes online. Indeed, online mitumba business is picking, and if done well, its profit margins are wide since it does not entail many expenses.
Don’t limit yourself to physical stalls. You can grow faster using:
- Instagram & Facebook Marketplace – take photos and videos of your stock and share as reels on Facebook and instagram. As you do that, people who like your items will ask for prices and how to ship the item to them once they purchase.
- WhatsApp status – for repeat customers and referrals. This approach is quite effective if you build loyal customers who trust in you.
- Jiji.co.ke or Pigiame – to reach local buyers, you can signup on Jiji Kenya or Pigiame Kenya as a vendor from which you share pictures and prices of your mitumba clothes to access customers for free. See below demonstrations
For Jiji, click on SELL button
For Pigiame Click on POST FREE ADD button
- TikTok Live or YouTube – show bale unboxing or reviews. Be outgoing, share what you have on tiktok live or youtube, engage people, let them ask questions as you give honest answers. Be consistent in posting your brand as this will slowly generate trust in your items.
🛡️ Beware of negative comments (kelele za chura) from some Kenyans, especially when posting your mitumba clothes online. Ignore them and forge ahead like a business warrior! Do your thing and serious customers will surely buy.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying fake “Camera” bales from untrusted dealers. This is the worst mistake you can make as you will kill your business either by being conned your hard-earned money or by losing customers due to poor quality items.
- Selling too many categories at once. If you want to mix things up, you will confuse your customers. Let it be this way….if i need ladies wear I go to Maina’s mitumba shop or second hand shoes kwa Mutua. Specialization increases customer base.
- Failing to research your customers. With no research you will end up establishing a denim trouser shop near a primary school or mosque.
- Poor pricing– don’t overprice just because you bought a camera bale. You will chase away your customers with high prices. Dont be greedy, get the little profit and forge ahead to expand your business.
- Not reinvesting profit into better stock- If your goal is to grow your business then better go for better stock and expand it.
👉Not sure mitumba is for you? These small-scale agribusiness ideas in Kenya might be a better fit.
🎯 Final Tips for Mitumba Business Success
- Start small, test what sells, then scale.
- Learn how to sort clothes by price and condition.
- Keep records of expenses, profits, and customer preferences.
- Be present and friendly – trust wins repeat customers.
- Watch competitors – especially pricing and packaging.
Faq on Mitumba Business in Kenya
What is a Mitumba business in Kenya?
A mitumba business in Kenya involves buying and selling second-hand clothes imported from countries like the UK, US, and China. Entrepreneurs either buy whole bales or sort pieces to resell at a profit in open-air markets, stalls, or online.
What are the types of mitumba bales in Kenya?
There are several bale types:
Camera – Best quality, often looks new
Grade 1 – Slightly lower quality, still good resale value
Grade 2 – Affordable but may have visible wear
Mixed/Assorted – Contains varied quality items
How much does a mitumba bale cost in Kenya?
Prices range between Ksh 5,000 and Ksh 35,000 depending on clothing type (e.g., ladies’ tops, men’s jeans), quality grade (Camera, Grade 1, etc.), and supplier location.
Is a license required to start a mitumba business in Kenya?
Yes. You typically need a Single Business Permit from your county government. In major towns, additional compliance (like market fees or health licenses) may be required.
Where can I buy mitumba bales in Kenya?
Popular bale suppliers are located in Gikomba (Nairobi), Kongowea (Mombasa), and Toi Market. You can also find verified suppliers online through platforms like Facebook or supplier websites.
Is mitumba business profitable in Kenya?
Yes. Many sellers report profit margins of 30%–100% per bale, especially when dealing with Camera or Grade 1 clothes. Success depends on product selection, location, and pricing.
✍️ Conclusion
Starting a mitumba business in Kenya can be your pathway to financial freedom, even with limited capital. From as little as Ksh 1,000, you can test the waters, and with consistency, grow into a full-time seller.
Leave a Reply