African policymakers, fashion designers, climate experts and industry leaders have called for a stronger shift towards locally driven, regenerative fashion systems, arguing that the continent’s long-standing traditions of resource efficiency and circular production offer a competitive advantage as the global apparel industry comes under increasing pressure to reduce its environmental footprint.
The discussions took place during the inaugural #AfricaTextileTalks forum, where participants examined the role of Africa’s textile and fashion industries in supporting climate resilience, industrialisation and inclusive economic development. Speakers argued that sustainable fashion should not be viewed as an imported concept but as an extension of production and consumption practices that have existed across African communities for generations, including repairing, repurposing and passing down garments and household items.
The forum comes at a time when the global textile industry is facing growing scrutiny over its environmental impact. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the fashion sector accounts for approximately 10% of global carbon emissions and remains one of the world’s largest consumers of freshwater and raw materials. As regulators, investors and consumers increasingly demand greater sustainability across global supply chains, African producers are assessing how the continent’s manufacturing capacity can be aligned with emerging environmental, social and governance (ESG) expectations while creating new industrial opportunities.
Presidential Climate Commissioner Thandile Zonke argued that South Africa’s textile industry illustrates the risks of poorly managed economic transitions. Reflecting on the decline of textile manufacturing in the Eastern Cape, once one of South Africa’s major industrial centres, she noted that the sector lost competitiveness not because of a shortage of skills or market demand but because structural economic changes outpaced industrial adaptation.
According to Zonke, climate transition policies must avoid repeating similar disruptions as economies shift towards lower-carbon production systems. She said African countries, despite contributing only an estimated 3% to 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, continue to bear a disproportionate share of climate-related losses through droughts, floods and declining agricultural productivity.
The discussion also highlighted the resource intensity of global apparel production. Cotton cultivation alone requires substantial volumes of freshwater and contributes significantly to agricultural emissions, while expanding agricultural production for textile inputs has become an important driver of global land-use change. Speakers argued that improving production efficiency, supporting regenerative agriculture and strengthening regional textile manufacturing would reduce environmental pressures while increasing domestic economic value.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) featured prominently in discussions on the industry’s future. Participants said the agreement provides an opportunity to build integrated regional textile value chains that process more cotton and other raw materials within Africa rather than exporting them in unprocessed form. Expanding local spinning, weaving, finishing and garment manufacturing could strengthen industrial competitiveness, reduce transport-related emissions and create employment across multiple stages of production.
South African fashion designer Wanda Lephoto argued that sustainability within African fashion should be understood through the continent’s cultural and historical experience rather than solely through international sustainability frameworks. He said African communities have traditionally extended the lifespan of garments, textiles and household items through repair, inheritance and careful stewardship of resources, practices that increasingly align with modern circular economy principles.
Lephoto also emphasised that African fashion has an opportunity to differentiate itself globally by combining cultural heritage with contemporary design and responsible production. Rather than pursuing fast-fashion business models, he argued that long-term value creation depends on preserving craftsmanship, strengthening local creative industries and building collaborative ecosystems involving designers, artisans, researchers and manufacturers.
The commercial importance of these approaches is growing as global brands seek more sustainable sourcing models. According to industry analysts, increasing demand for transparent supply chains, lower-carbon manufacturing and ethical production standards is reshaping purchasing decisions across international apparel markets. African producers that combine sustainability with traceability and quality could therefore improve access to premium export markets while strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities.
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The forum also heard calls for stronger collaboration across governments, investors and private-sector stakeholders. Lagos Fashion Week founder and Earthshot Prize winner Omoyemi Akerele introduced the African Fashion Coalition’s “Blueprint for a Regenerative Fashion Future”, describing it as a framework designed to strengthen regional production, cultural preservation and circular business models. The initiative encourages governments, financial institutions and industry participants to support investment in local manufacturing, sustainable materials, skills development and innovation.
Participants argued that financing remains one of the sector’s principal constraints. Small and medium-sized enterprises dominate Africa’s fashion industry, yet many continue to face limited access to affordable capital needed to modernise equipment, improve sustainability performance and expand production capacity. Greater alignment between sustainable finance initiatives and industrial policy could help bridge these investment gaps while supporting broader economic diversification.
The discussions also highlighted the importance of retaining greater economic value within African fashion supply chains. Rather than exporting raw materials while importing finished garments, speakers advocated building integrated regional industries capable of generating higher-value exports, supporting skilled employment and increasing manufacturing resilience.
For African economies, the transition towards regenerative fashion carries implications that extend beyond the apparel sector. Textile manufacturing remains one of the world’s largest sources of industrial employment and offers significant opportunities for youth and women across production, design, logistics and retail. Strengthening sustainable manufacturing could therefore contribute to industrialisation, export diversification and climate adaptation simultaneously.
As sustainability requirements become more deeply embedded within international trade and investment, African fashion businesses face increasing pressure to demonstrate environmental responsibility alongside commercial competitiveness. Industry leaders at the forum concluded that the continent’s historical experience with resource efficiency and community-based production provides a foundation for responding to these market shifts, provided investment, policy support and regional collaboration accelerate at the pace required to compete in an increasingly sustainability-driven global economy.
