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WHEN moving around Harare, it is not uncommon to come across off-the-boot clothing sales, where enterprising traders have turned their car trunks into convenient outlets where all manner of linen and fabrics are sold.
These are increasingly challenging clothing retail outlets.
Zimbabweans’ fetish for foreign clothing items continues unabated: anything with a foreign tag is more likely to fly off the shelf – or off-the-boot, as the case might be – than something labelled “Made in Zimbabwe”.
This effectively suffocates the small and medium small-scale players in the value chain, such as cotton growers and textile firms.
A snap survey by The Sunday Mail Business in central Harare last week indicates that retailers, including those operating in brick and mortar buildings, are getting most of their wares from China, the UAE, Turkey and South Africa.
Although most claim their merchandise is genuine, some of it is clearly counterfeit.
Very few retailers, such as Edgars Stores Limited, still sell some locally-produced and genuine goods.
Mr Tatenda Dziike, the manager of Bremut at Kwame Nkrumah Mall said: “We get clothes from China. You might be aware that China produces all types of goods for different markets.
“If you are prepared to pay more, you get the best quality in China and if you do not want to pay more, you get low quality and so on. So the quality of clothes we have here is different from what others are selling. Even the shoes that we are selling come from China.
“We sell everything from formal wear, casual, kids’ wear and wedding gear.”
Another clothing retailer, Mr Brian Takwada of Coco Fashions at Zimpost Mall, said their clothes came from Tanzania and South Africa.
Other traders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said all their clothing was imported.
“We get our clothes from Turkey, Dubai and Russia and all of them are original. I am sure you can also see the quality for yourself.
“Unfortunately, I cannot tell you the prices at which we get the clothes because we will expose ourselves to competitors,” said one shop assistant.
And each time these clothing mules fly out of Zimbabwe, they are taking money with them. This results in huge cash outflows.
Zimbabwe has developed quite an appetite for imports, even where products of better quality can be produced locally.
National interests are now conflicting with personal tastes.
Statistics from the Zimbabwe Clothing Manufacturers’ Association show that since 2000, 26 378 workers have lost their jobs, while 94 companies have been closed in the clothing sector.
ZCMA represents clothing manufacturers such as Paramount Garments, which employs more than 1 000 workers, Diesel Gear, Bernstein, Coh Coh, Bravette and Playtime.
Growth in the manufacturing sector, particularly in sub-sectors such as clothing and textile, has remained stunted.
Experts in the clothing industry believe Government is being prejudiced of between US$150 million and US$200 million annually by the reduction of the “anti-dumping” duty, which has “greatly assisted those dealing in under-invoiced goods”.
Some of the clothing entering the country is granted preferential duty under the regional Rules of Origin, which are designed to give preferential consideration to goods produced within the Comesa and Sadc region, when in fact they do not qualify for such exemption.
While some big local manufacturers like Paramount Garments have found some succour in export markets in Germany, mid-sized and small manufacturers are struggling.
Online Reporter