The clothing and textile sector is widely recognized as the second most polluting industry globally & this calls for smart sectors greening textile industry. Its significant environmental impact stems from various stages throughout the product life cycle, starting from the procurement of raw materials such as fabric, thread, and fasteners, all the way to the end-of-life management of the garments.

The global textile market was valued at approximately US$655 billion in 2021, and it is projected to grow at an annual rate of 6% until 2025 (Research and Markets, 2021a). China, the European Union (EU), and India are major players in textile exports, accounting for 66% of total global exports. Meanwhile, clothing exports are dominated by China, the EU, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, making up 72% of total exports (Lu, 2021).

COVID-19 had a notable effect on the textile sector. In South Africa, the retail, clothing, textile, footwear, and leather (R-CTFL) value chain contributed R70 billion to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2016, accounting for 3% of the total GDP (Stats SA, 2018a). During the second quarter of 2022, the clothing manufacturing sector contributed an estimated R6.6 billion to the economy.

In terms of employment, the clothing sector had 216,000 people employed during this period, which was a decrease from the 246,000 employed in the first quarter of 2020. Meaning there is need to upgrade the facilities to maximize on the costs.

Smart Sectors: greening SA’s textile industry by reducing pollution as well as chemical, water & energy use plus also adopting circular reuse.

It is widely agreed that similar to its international counterparts, the South African textiles sector optimizing business while creating a climate resilient industry:

We can assist you with:

  • Reducing pollution, as well as chemical, water and energy use.
  • Adopting circular reuse.
  • Shifting towards more local production to create jobs and to build supply chain resilience; and
  • Reducing the use of hazardous chemicals and improving water management.
  • Optimizing manufacturing energy efficiency and consumption.

There is much more to discuss than you think, so let us make you an offer that will give you the confidence you need to succeed in volatile times.