Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda have agreed to ban second-hand clothing, mostly imported from the US and UK, in order to support their own textile industries.
African countries are trying to support their domestic textile industries, but pressure from the US and a flood of cheap clothing from China are making it difficult.
They hope local factories will create much-needed jobs and increase exports.
According to Aljazeera, the three countries are now facing threats of trade sanctions from the US who says the ban violates free-trade agreements.