215 firms from 19 countries to partake in Source Africa

18 Jun '14

2 min read

More than 215 manufacturers from nearly 19 countries will partake in the forthcoming installment of Source Africa 2014, an annual pan-African textile, clothing and accessory trade event.

Slated to take place from June 18 to 20, 2014 in Cape Town, the event calendar includes a two-day-long trade show (June 19 to 20, 2014) which will be attended by some 2,000 key industry decision makers from across Africa, Europe and the United States.

With a primary aim to highlight African made textiles and garments, the show will serve as a networking platform for buyers, manufacturers, suppliers and service providers.

The expo will see exhibitors from South Africa, Mauritius, Egypt, Madagascar, Botswana, Cameroun, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Lesotho, Swaziland, Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Cote D’Ivoire alongside buyers from the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, UK, Russia and UAE.

The expo will also boost intra-regional trade between African countries by encouraging business among African buyers and manufacturers, and helping them to capitalize on tariff advantages and shorter distances to local markets.

Speaking about the trade exhibition, the Executive Vice President of the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), Steve Lamar, says, “It is clear that Africa sits on the threshold of new opportunities for export diversification and regional integration in these industries.”

“Moreover, there seems to be an agreement that with higher costs in Asia and the saturation of some key sourcing platforms in Asia and elsewhere, Africa has a chance to become a new sourcing destination,” he adds.

In addition to the trade show, the Source Africa 2014 will also host several business seminars on topics like ‘Increase your odds – Understanding U.S. Sourcing Needs’ and ‘Navigating Policies for African Trade’ conducted by global industry leaders like the Assistant US Trade Representative for Textiles, Gail Strickler, and AAFA’s Steve Lamar.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India