Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Minister Maman Abdurrahman has ordered e-commerce platforms to shut down online stores selling imported secondhand clothes as part of a government effort to curb thrifting.“Yesterday, I instructed e-commerce operators to stop such activities. Selling secondhand clothes is no longer allowed,” Abdurrahman said during a press conference at the Islamic Seminar and Financial Expo (EKSiS) on Thursday.He said several platforms had begun removing online shops selling imported used clothing following the directive.To review compliance, Abdurrahman said he would meet with e-commerce operators on Friday (Nov. 7).“We will also encourage e-commerce platforms to fully promote locally made products. That’s the spirit,” he added.Data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), through the Trade Ministry’s Data and Information System Center, showed imports of finished textile products and used clothing reached US$78.19 million from January to July 2025, up 17.33 percent from the same period last year.The main sources were China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.Abdurrahman said his ministry was preparing a program to help thrift sellers transition by linking them with MSMEs producing local apparel and textiles.On Nov. 4, he said President Prabowo Subianto had instructed his ministry to develop alternative products for thrift businesses, ensuring the ban would not eliminate jobs.“The government does not want thrift traders to lose their livelihoods,” Abdurrahman said.“We will encourage them to sell domestically produced fashion items, which are high-quality and competitive in price, design, and trends,”he added.
Indonesia orders online marketplaces to shut down thrift stores
