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South Africa's textile imports up 1.3% in Jan–Sept 2025

05 Nov '25

2 min read

South Africa's textile imports up 1.3% in Jan–Sept 2025

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Insights

South Africa's textile and apparel imports grew *.* per cent year-on-year to *8,** billion rand (~$*,*** billion) in January–September 2025, supported by sustained demand for apparel and household textiles.
Exports rose * per cent to *7.*4 billion rand (~$*,** billion), driven by neighbouring African markets.
Despite growth, South Africa remains a net importer.

Official statistics show that in the same period of ****, imports were valued at **,***.* million rand. South Africa remains a net importer of textiles, reflecting its dependence on low-cost Asian suppliers—particularly from China, India, and Bangladesh—and the limited competitiveness of its domestic textile manufacturing base.

Exports of textiles and related products increased by * per cent to **,***.* million rand (~$*,***.** million) in the first nine months of ****, up from **,***.* million rand a year earlier. The rise was driven by stronger demand from neighbouring African markets, notably for cotton fabrics, uniforms, and basic apparel items, which benefitted from regional trade linkages under the Southern African Development Community (SADC).