SA home textiles firm sticks to local production

25 Apr '12

4 min read

This strategy allowed 8th Avenue Trading to tap into the burgeoning global demand for Anglo-African designs and colours in décor and resulted in the company establishing itself in a niche in the global decor furnishing textile market, exporting to an international client base extending to the USA, Europe, Australasia and the rest of Africa.

"As a result, our distribution channels - countrywide and globally - are structured to international standards. In fact, we recently had an opportunity in the US to test our capabilities and prove that we are equipped to handle orders in excess of R1 million with ease," comments Essafrau.

Despite this global success, 8th Avenue Trading also retains a niche market share in South Africa, which they expect to grow exponentially in the future. As local buyers reconsider their buying strategies, Essafrau offers some useful advice: "While buyers may not immediately recognise the value of selecting a decor furnishing textile manufacturer with its own dedicated factory featuring weaving, dyeing and in-house design facilities, as well as dedicated and talented textile team, this offers the buyer some significant advantages.

These include the ability to craft unique and exclusive designs and to turn new concepts into a range of product lines; flexibility in terms of re-orders and minimum orders on specially-designed products; as well as sufficient stock, continuity and quicker turn-around times, since there is no risk of shipping delays or strikes often associated with importing."

Essafrau is positive about the future of the local decor furnishing textile industry. "We are confident that many South Africa businesses will soon realise that companies such as 8th Avenue Trading can offer them far more than the cheap, mass-produced products they have been subjected to and will choose to channel their textile-spend to support their local industry and to drive money back into the South African economy. We are set to increase our current production allowing us to employ additional people."

8th Avenue Trading