Africa stands on the cusp of a game-changing opportunity to reshape its role in the global textile and apparel industry.
According to TradeMap data, the continent currently takes a miniscule size of the pie, accounting for about one percent of global textile exports and two percent of global clothing exports.
With the industry projected to grow from $2.7 trillion to $3.7 trillion between 2024 and 2032, the continent holds the ingredients to shape a new future in fashion supply chains based on abundant raw materials, a youthful workforce, growing consumer market, and a wealth of design and creative talent.
The continent contributes approximately six percent to the world’s total cotton production behind countries like China, India, Brazil, and the US, with a high concentration in Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali.
However, most African cotton is exported unprocessed, and the continent currently accounts for less than two percent of global spinning, weaving and knitting capacity, making it a net importer of fabrics.
There is, however, an opportunity to localise textile production in Africa if the right energy, water, and logistics infrastructure, as well as a business environment, are put in place.
First, taking lessons from Mauritius, Vietnam, South Korea, and China, some African countries are well placed to leverage their youthful workforce and competitive wages to grow labour-intensive garment production as a gateway to industrialisation. While most manufacturing sectors are rapidly automating, apparel production is still labour-intensive.
Second, Africa’s growing consumer market could provide the impetus for vertically integrated regional fashion supply chains. Africa’s apparel market is projected to grow from $73.59 billion in 2025 to $88.68 billion in 2029, adding more than $15 billion in just four years.
Third, the continent’s creative talent in fashion design and marketing should be harnessed to stimulate fashion industry hubs with local value addition and global influence.
According to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), by 2040, African fashion could be at the forefront of global haute couture, streetwear, and sustainable fashion, with African designers, brands, and cultural aesthetics shaping the industry’s future.
Leading fashion houses are increasingly incorporating African influences into their collections, with traditional African fabrics like Kente, Adire, and Bokolonfini being reimagined for contemporary markets. African designers are also gaining international acclaim for their unique designs and patterns.
African fashion weeks in cities like Lagos, Nairobi, Dakar, and Cape Town could become global centres of the industry, attracting influencers, buyers, and investors recognising the unique appeal and cultural significance of African textiles.
As policymakers and entrepreneurs on the continent write this new chapter for Africa on the future of fashion, they should keep a keen eye on three megatrends which provide an opportunity for the continent to leapfrog into the future of fashion supply chains.
The first is sustainability. With major fashion brands moving toward low-carbon textiles, organic and regenerative cotton, and circular economy models, African governments can get ahead of this change by offering incentives for sustainable fibre production, water-efficient textile mills, clean energy-powered factories, and fabric recycling ecosystems.
This could make Africa a preferred sourcing destination for ethical fashion brands. Countries like Kenya and Ghana could become leaders in fabric recycling and second-hand textile upcycling, turning Africa’s massive thrift markets into multi-billion-dollar remanufacturing industries.
Second, the shift toward supply-chain rebalancing, nearshoring and regionalisation presents a major opportunity for Africa, as buyers seek production bases closer to consumer markets - an approach already benefiting countries like Morocco.
With only eight percent of Africa’s textile and apparel imports currently sourced within the continent, countries like Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire are pushing for vertically integrated industries. However, unlocking this potential requires investment in regional textile hubs and trade facilitation under the AfCFTA to overcome logistical bottlenecks.
Lastly, Industry 4.0 is driving a digital revolution in fashion with technological advancements new materials science, artificial intelligence digital and 3D printing, enabling manufacturers to streamline operations and reduce lead times. The rise of e-commerce and digital platforms has also transformed how consumers shop for textiles and apparel.
For instance, according to the IMF, online sales are expected to account for 30 percent of total apparel sales in 2025. African designers and brands could sell directly to global consumers, bypassing traditional retail gatekeepers, with the entire industry fueled by e-commerce, virtual reality, and blockchain technology.
Digital printing and AI-powered fabric customisation could revolutionise fashion allowing customers to order fashion in real-time. Instead of relying solely on NFTs (non-fungible tokens), designers can integrate blockchain-backed digital ownership, interactive gaming skins, and AI-powered fashion assets to monetise their creations making African fashion a dominant force in virtual wearables for gaming and digital avatars.
Metaverse fashion shows and virtual retail stores could allow customers worldwide to explore African fashion, try on outfits in virtual dressing rooms, and purchase them via African e-commerce platforms bridging the gap between physical and virtual markets.
For Africans to participate in this high-tech revolution, policies must support skills training in digital fashion design, smart textiles, gaming-based fashion integration and AI-driven manufacturing.
The future of Africa’s textile industry will be shaped by how well governments align their policies with global megatrends. Those that act strategically - investing in technology, sustainability, and supply chain resilience - will position themselves as the next powerhouses.
The writers are the Senior Advisor (Global Lead), Industry & Commerce and Senior Advisor Industrial Strategy respectively at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
