Newsletter No.28   28 July 2017

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South African designers take on Pure London

Fifteen South African fashion designers have shown off their style this week at Pure London, one of the UK’s most prestigious fashion trade events where over 700 brands were expected to exhibit their work.

Highlighting the industry’s established and emerging designers, Pure London is at the forefront of capturing the surge of current street trends in the fashion industry. The event aims to celebrate the work of fashion designers worldwide.

KZNFC support

The KwaZulu-Natal Fashion Council (KZNFC) facilitated the travel and accommodation of the designers and fashion exporters, and gave them a send-off in Durban ahead of the event which ran from 23 to 25 July 2017.

The mandate of the KZNFC is to support and uplift the design and fashion sector of KwaZulu-Natal to ensure that the number of designers that receive support from the Council grows each year. Strategic programmes are delivered for junior, emerging and established designers with a focus on previously disadvantaged individuals.

Exhibitors

Thembeka Vilakazi – Yadah Praise Exclusive Designs
Jenet Azor – Cookie Cutter
Christopher O’ Connor – Jensen Belts
Chan Michael – Reptile Trading
Robyn Mcmillan – Amanda Laird Cherry
Sandile Mngadi – Dukedom Group
Fiona Spolander – Fiona Spolander Promotions
Larisa Terblanche – Larisa Moda
Vanessa Schubert – Leigh Schubert
Mike Narainsamy – Manufacturing House of Mike
Pinky Dlamini – Modesta Creation and Designing
Shaun Dugen – Nguni Shades SA
Sagren Naidoo – Twinkle Shoes t/a Elefante Shoes
Willem Boshoff – Burgundy Collective
Zama Mathe – Zarth Designs

International opportunities

Xolani Zulu, acting MD of the KZNFC, said “The Pure London trade show is important for any business, as it is in a commercial location and invaluable for designers who are making inroads or researching fashion trends.”

The KZNFC also collaborated with the South African Footwear and Leather Export Council on its international trade show missions in order to open up more designers to international opportunities and expand the amount of trade shows per year. Zulu added that the KZNFC would track the progress of the designers after they have returned to ensure that they improve where necessary and dedicate consistency where the Council has done right.

The council’s current chairperson, Zola Shabangu, added, “The KZN Fashion Council’s mandate is to develop export ready, globally competitive designers from all the 11 municipal districts of the province. We also serve as a vehicle for the national footprint of development. We have now been tasked with facilitating communication with designers from Cape Town to Johannesburg and Pretoria.”

Lethabo Maseko, project manager for clothing and textile at the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (KZN EDTEA) encouraged the designers to use the opportunities given to them grow their brands and to fly the South African flag high. “Do your best to market yourselves, establish contacts and make sure that you are able to sustain them. Wear your garments and show that you are proud of your own creations,” she concluded.

Ethiopia aims for $30 bn forex from tetiles by 2030

Ethiopia aims to generate $30 bn in foreign exchange earnings from the textiles and clothing sector by 2030, according to Ethiopian state minister of industry Bogale Feleke. Ethiopia, one of the fastest growing economies of Africa, is on the constant effort to increase its cotton production. In a year, Ethiopia produces around one lakh tonnes of cotton.

“We intend to increase our area of cotton production. At present, only 20 per cent of three million hectare is used for cotton production while we aim to increase to around 80 per cent,” said Feleke.

Ethiopia has nearly 175 textile units. Now, it is seeking India’s investment in its textiles industry. It is increasing investment scope with the provision of power and labour at an affordable price, said Feleke while speaking at the workshop on investment opportunities in Ethiopian textiles. The workshop was hosted by Ethiopian Investment Promotion and International Trade Centre and The Southern India Mills’ Association.

With a workforce of more than forty-seven million, the country offers a large supply of valuable human resources at affordable wages. With the growing population, Ethiopia is striving hard to generate employment opportunities. By 2020, we intend to have around 150 companies in textiles, said Feleke adding that Ethiopia is in the process of developing 13 industrial parks.

After Vietnam, Ethiopia is the second largest country to attract foreign direct investment in textiles, according to World Investment report 2016.

F2F

SACTWU welcomes the data inquiry

The Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union SACTWU welcomes the planned investigation by Competition Commission into the country’s data costs.

It has been brought to our attention that the  Minister of Economic Development, Ebrahim Patel, is expected to announce the establishment of such a market inquiry into the state of competition in the data market and the inquiry’s terms of reference by 1 September 2017.

We welcome this inquiry as data costs in the country are amongst the highest in the world and it is often very expensive for our members,  who are amongst the lowest paid in the manufacturing industry.  As our industry continues to modernise, it also increasingly rely on data-required ICT operations to promote their manufacturing products.  High data costs hampers this modernisation.

The high data costs not only affect our members but also their children who are often unable to access the internet for school research as a result of this high cost. We welcome this investigation and hope that it will urge service providers to lower their costs.

Issued by Andre Kriel General Secretary SACTWU

Classifieds: 

Country Mouse a niche children’s clothing brand is looking for a manufacturer of childrens smocked dresses in Madagascar. Anyone with contacts in the Madagascar textile industry who can perhaps assist please contact Bjorn Annegarn on b.annegarn@icloud.com

Did you know………

– Your favourite designer, Marc Jacobs was ranked 14th in a list of “50 Most Powerful Gay Men and Women in America” by Out magazine in 2012.

– The first designer suit was launched by Coco Chanel in 1923. She had created the look by combining woollen boxy jackets with gold buttons, knee length skirts and large pearl necklaces.