The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) bill was approved by the US House of Representatives on 12 January with a strong bipartisan vote of 340–54 and has now moved to the US Senate for consideration.
The extension is widely seen as providing short-term trade certainty for US exporters, particularly those involved in secondhand clothing, recycled textiles and global reuse markets, which rely on stable duty-free access to eligible African economies.
“This is an important and positive step for US textile reuse exporters, and the millions of workers and consumers supported by global reuse markets,” said Jessica Franken, Vice President of Government and External Affairs at SMART.
“AGOA plays a critical role in preserving duty-free access for US exports, including secondhand clothing, while reinforcing fair and transparent trade rules with our partners.”
Why AGOA matters for textile reuse
For years, AGOA has underpinned US exports of:
- Secondhand clothing
- Recycled and reused textiles
- Circular economy trade flows with African partner countries
By maintaining duty-free market access, the framework supports:
- US jobs in sorting, grading and reuse
- Stable downstream markets in Africa
- More resilient and circular global textile supply chains
SMART emphasized that AGOA remains essential not only for exporters, but also for supply-chain continuity and consumer access in reuse-dependent markets.
Next steps
With House approval secured, the bill now awaits action in the US Senate. SMART has urged senators to move quickly, warning that delays could undermine confidence in exporters and trading partners alike.
A timely Senate approval would help ensure continuity in the US–Africa textile trade, particularly as reuse and circular models become more central to global sustainability and trade policy agendas.
