Vibrant Malagasy textiles and crafts displayed during Madagascar’s Day of the Dead celebrations, showcasing local culture and traditions.
Increased demand has come from “an expanding urban middle class in Africa and international buyers, who both value the originality and quality of African design and craftsmanship,” the report said, estimating annual African textile, clothing, and footwear exports at $15.5 billion. But Africa’s potential is still held back by myriad challenges. Africa-based designers are constrained by poor infrastructure, sparse investment, limited intellectual property protections, difficulties accessing new markets and sourcing quality materials, the report said. Unesco estimates that Africa’s textile, clothing and footwear trade deficit is $7.6 billion, a consequence of decades of policy changes that stifled local production, inviting an influx of second-hand clothing from abroad.