Industrial effects of protections against used clothing imports on late developers: Evidence from Rwanda and the East African Community

This paper examines the effects of protections against used clothing imports on the level of manufacturing in developing economies. It describes the existing debate over the role of protectionism in development and the questions that remain. A cross-country study of the effects of tariffs against used clothing imports provides suggestive evidence that these protections increase manufacturing as a share of domestic production in low-income countries. This effect seems to disappear as income rises. Using a case study of Rwanda's ban on used clothing imports and the "Made in Rwanda" campaign, avenues for further research and strategies to address challenges in this research are discussed.