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Although East Africa has a massive capacity to produce cotton textiles and apparel given the availability of raw materials and human capital, the region scores relatively low in consumption of local textile products.
Over 70 percent of apparel sold in East Africa is imported second-hand clothes, while apparel companies based in Kenya export a majority of their products, particularly to the US.
Kenya and Ethiopia are the leading exporters of textiles and apparel to the US under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), but with raw materials sourced outside at the expense of locally produced cotton and yarn. According to the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (Kippra), 70 percent of Kenyan apparel companies sell about 80 percent of their products to US markets.
Nairobi’s export processing zones (EPZs) host 21 apparel companies that manufacture garments primarily for export under Agoa.
At the high-level African Union — East African Community and the private sector forum held in Nairobi this week, it was reported that Africa, and especially the East African region, is the least consumer of local textiles.
“The current consumption of all textiles in the US is 39 kilos per capita,” said Jas Bedi, a local manufacturer and vice-chairperson of the East African Business Council, Kenya Chapter, also adding that Africa’s textile industry is highly fragmented and needs better coordination.
The second-highest consumer of Africa’s textiles is Europe with 25kg per person annually, followed by China (16kg) and India (6kg). Africa, which ranks among the highest producers of raw materials for textiles and garments including cotton globally, ranks last in consumption of its own textiles. — The East African
Online Reporter