Cellulose Fibre and Sustainable Textiles 2025

Turn of Events / Ethiopia Resurgent / PART III Interview

Spotlight: Ethiopia Resurgent

ASFW Shows How Africa Is Moving From Sourcing Margins to Global Manufacturing Mainstream

The dynamics of global sourcing are evolving, and Africa is positioning itself at the heart of these shifts. With infrastructure built through Asian partnerships and an expanding manufacturing base, the continent is becoming part of a broader rebalancing of global trade. Guiding this transformation is Skander Negasi, Chief Executive Officer of Trade and Fairs Consulting, organiser of Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week, who underscores that Africa’s sourcing story is now one of resilience, resourcefulness, and rising capability.

Subir Ghosh

28 October 2025

5 minutes

Long Story, Cut Short

African economies are steadily gaining attention from global fashion brands seeking alternatives to Asia’s long-dominant sourcing and manufacturing bases across textiles and apparel.
Ethiopia and neighbouring nations are leveraging low costs and improving infrastructure to attract foreign investors and build sustainable regional manufacturing networks.
Industry events such as Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week are strengthening collaboration, standards, and intra-African trade within the continent’s growing textile ecosystem.

The Addis Ababa chapter of ASFW brings together exhibitors from over seventy countries, reinforcing its position as Africa’s largest sourcing platform.

Meeting Point The Addis Ababa chapter of ASFW brings together exhibitors from over seventy countries, reinforcing its position as Africa’s largest sourcing platform. Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week

Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week | Addis 2025

texfash: ASFW has positioned itself as Africa’s largest sourcing platform — yet global buyers still tend to default to Asia. What real signs do you see that Africa is moving from the margins to the mainstream in textiles and apparel sourcing?
Skander Negasi: Africa is already playing an important role as a platform for the sourcing industry. And we read it right, this position is increasing in the near future. As Ajay Banga (President of World Bank) said: “Ignoring Africa is like ignoring the future of where the world’s going.” We see the reality on the ground. This is why Asian manufacturers from China, India and other countries are setting up factories in Africa.

Ethiopia, where ASFW is based, was once hailed as ‘the next Bangladesh’ for garments, but political and economic headwinds have slowed progress. How do you reconcile the optimism of the fair with the harsher realities on the ground?
Skander Negasi: Ethiopia still plays a key role in the garment and leather manufacturing within Africa. Despite the headwinds, it is struggling and working hard to get more investors getting into the country. Due to the very low costs the country is still very interesting for a lot of FDIs.

On the buyers side it has become a darling for European fashion brands and buyers. The ASFW Addis Ababa is growing again. While we have ASFW chapters in Nairobi and Dakar, the Addis Ababa chapter is the oldest and biggest show so far and the connecting hup for attendees from over 70 countries.

You stress sustainability and innovation at the fair, but many African manufacturers struggle with limited access to finance, technology and compliance expertise. How do you ensure ASFW is more than rhetoric — that it actually leads to tangible improvements for factories and workers?
Skander Negasi: Unlike most Asian countries, Africans produce in a sustainable way by necessity. Africans don’t through away left materials or leather skins. E.g. out of the leftovers of a leather jacket, they would produce a small leather bag, etc. You can see those companies at ASFW Addis Ababa. In addition to the reality on the ground, the ASFW considers this topic at the conference and workshop area where over 50 speakers are part of the overall conference sessions.

So much of Africa’s textile story still centres on cut–make–trim operations with very slim margins. What concrete steps are being taken to build integrated value chains — from cotton growing to finished fashion — so that Africa captures real value?
Skander Negasi: This is a very good question! African governments such Kenyan, Senegalese, Ghana, Rwanda, etc, have created laws which make sure that the entire value chain is produced in their countries. It has become very hard to export raw materials if there is no real explanation for it. African manufacturers and FDIs appreciate these initiatives.

There is mounting global scrutiny over labour rights, fair wages and environmental standards. When international buyers visit ASFW, how do you address their concerns about governance gaps in African supply chains?
Skander Negasi: We address those topics in the conference where ILO and other organisations address the attendees. We have buyers-government meetings or investors-government meetings. At all ASFW chapters we organise factory tours for buyers to show the situation inside out. This creates pressure for manufacturers and relaxes the buyers the same time as most factories are in very good chape.

Greenwashing has become a catchword at fashion trade shows worldwide. How do you respond to critics who might say that highlighting sustainability at ASFW risks being more marketing spin than measurable progress?
Skander Negasi: ASFW is not a holy church. It is a mirror of the real market outside although we try to address sustainability and circularity. Some must understand that at the end of the day, factories need business to create jobs. And people need jobs to feed their family. In addition, the buyers and foreign fashion brands are the ones who are the reason why people speak of “greenwashing.” While foreign fashion brands promote sustainability and come up with certificate needs, they put pressure on the suppliers on delivery time, price and quality. Therefore, we have to knock the doors of buyers before we look at suppliers. ASFW addresses those topics during the show.

Skander Negasi

Chief Executive Officer

Trade and Fairs Consulting

Unlike most Asian countries, Africans produce in a sustainable way by necessity. Africans don’t through away left materials or leather skins. E.g. out of the leftovers of a leather jacket, they would produce a small leather bag, etc. You can see those companies at ASFW Addis Ababa.

Young designers and entrepreneurs use ASFW’s networking sessions to connect creativity with commercial manufacturing opportunities across the continent.

Young in Ethiopia Young designers and entrepreneurs use ASFW’s networking sessions to connect creativity with commercial manufacturing opportunities across the continent. Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week

With geopolitical disruptions and brands looking for ‘China+1’ sourcing strategies, is Africa realistically ready to step in — or is it still lagging behind in terms of infrastructure and reliability?
Skander Negasi: We have to confess that China is the reason why African manufacturers have become ready for the global world. It was China which build the infrastructure so that those state-of-the-art factories could start. Now Asians are following and benefit from these infrastructure and low-cost systems. Unfortunately, some African countries lack reliability, quality or political stability. Therefore, it is always advisable to have a monitoring system to guarantee a beneficial supply.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is often billed as a game-changer. Do you see buyers at ASFW already factoring it into their sourcing strategies, or is it still more of a policy slogan than a business reality?
Skander Negasi: Due to lack of progressive management, AfCFTA has not been beneficial for the African countries so far. But there are signs that this is changing in the future. And this will have impact on the Western market.

There is frequent talk of Africa’s ‘youth dividend’ and creative talent. How does ASFW bring young African designers and innovators into what remains a very manufacturing-led trade fair?
Skander Negasi: African youth is the most vital asset that the content has. If someone build the pathways—in education, infrastructure, and capital—Africa’s demographic and creative boom can become a demographic dividend. It is needless to say that Africans are born being creative.

If we look ahead a decade, do you genuinely see Africa becoming a globally competitive hub for apparel sourcing — or will it remain a niche player for brands seeking to spread their risks?
Skander Negasi: It depends on the policy and peace. If peace and democracy and maintain in Africa, the sky is endless. And yes, Africa will play an even larger role in the future. There will be no sourcing business without Africa involved. This is why smart Asian countries have guaranteed large production facilities in this content. And ASFW will play an even more crucial role for this industry.

Building African Value Chains

African governments in Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, and Senegal are introducing policies that retain raw materials and encourage end-to-end domestic textile production.
Foreign direct investment is accelerating as manufacturers from China and India capitalise on Africa’s expanding infrastructure, energy access, and favourable industrial environments.
Integrated cotton-to-garment models are being promoted to ensure value addition remains within national borders and strengthens local economic participation.

Challenges and Transitions

Ethiopia remains a crucial manufacturing centre despite recent instability, maintaining investor confidence through its competitive costs and export potential.
Limited finance, technology access, and compliance expertise continue to restrict smaller African manufacturers from scaling up to meet global sourcing standards.
Sustainability practices rooted in material reuse and waste minimisation demonstrate Africa’s pragmatic approach to responsible production in challenging environments.

Subir Ghosh

SUBIR GHOSH is a Kolkata-based independent journalist-writer-researcher who writes about environment, corruption, crony capitalism, conflict, wildlife, and cinema. He is the author of two books, and has co-authored two more with others. He writes, edits, reports and designs. He is also a professionally trained and qualified photographer.

Full Bio