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The Clothing Industry in South Africa 2023

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    Report

  • 278 Pages
  • November 2023
  • Region: South Africa
  • Who Owns Whom
  • ID: 5522082

South Africa’s clothing industry has shown resilience in the face of rising inflation, pressure on disposable income and global supply chain challenges. Clothing manufacturers face rising costs of manufacturing inputs, freight, fuel and wages and falling consumer disposable income due to an economy that is not growing.

Local retailers are focusing on local manufacturing to bring prices down and shorten lead times to bring fashion to the market. Government regards the clothing and textile sector as a strategic industry with a potential for significant job creation, and has introduced initiatives aimed at improving domestic textile products, processes, and delivery efficiencies. Cheap imports continue to flood the market. Escalating power cuts limit retail trade and result in significant increases in operating costs. The breakdown of rail, port and road infrastructure, particularly the backlog at ports, threatens the industry which has stock sitting at sea while fashion and high trading seasons march ahead.

Challenges

Difficulty competing with the flood of imports on cost.

Power cuts causing huge additional costs for retailers to stay open and reduced sales as people stay away from shopping centres during blackouts. South Africa’s relatively small size mean relatively less economies of scale. The heavy reliance on imported materials make South Africa’s clothing manufacture and retail vulnerable to international events, supply chain disruptions and exchange rate volatility. The rising cost of living, and unemployment levels have reduced the amount that consumers spend on clothing.

Opportunities

A growing young youth population ensures high demand for clothing.

Challenges Growth in online shopping means new companies can sell online without having store presence. If manufacturers can cut lead times and introduce short production cycles, they can establish a significant advantage for retailers who source their products locally. Low barriers to entry for designers and entrepreneurs. The shift to local manufacturing has the potential to create jobs.

Trends

Increased demand for and supply of cheap imported products due to financial hardship and pressure on disposable income. Increased local manufacture as retailers increase their localisation targets. Opportunities Quick response and better stock management resulting in more local manufacture.

Outlook

The trading environment in South Africa’s clothing sector is expected to remain challenging in the year ahead with blackouts resulting in escalating costs and in many cases limited production and sales hours. Consumers face rising fuel, electricity, food prices and interest rates, which will continue to affect disposable income. A weakening economy and high levels of unemployment have seen South Africans adopt value conscious shopping behaviours which have led major retailers to opening a lot of stores in the low priced segment. The drive to source products locally has led to increased investment in capacity for local manufacturing and benefits to retailers in terms of sourcing products quickly and reducing their reliance on international supply chains.

Report Coverage

This report on the clothing industry in South Africa includes clothing manufacture and retail and discusses the size and state of the industry, progress on the masterplan, key issues and trends, notable players, and influencing factors such as the power crisis and ports backlog.

There are profiles of 87 companies including major retailers such as Mr Price, Woolworths, TFG, Truworths and Pick n Pay, manufacturers such as Prestige Clothing and Trade Call Investments Apparel, and school and workwear companies including Gem Schooling, Grand Uniforms and Jonsson Workwear.

 

Table of Contents


1. INTRODUCTION
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY
2.1. Industry Value Chain
2.2. Geographic Position
2.3. Size of the Industry
3. LOCAL
3.1. State of the Industry
3.2. Key Issues
3.3. Key Trends
3.4. Notable Players
3.5. Trade
3.6. Corporate Actions
3.7. Regulations
3.8. Enterprise Development and Social Economic Development
4. AFRICA5. INTERNATIONAL
6. INFLUENCING FACTORS
6.1. Unforeseen Events
6.2. Economic Environment
6.3. Electricity Crisis
6.4. Input Costs
6.5. Environmental Issues
6.6. Labour
6.7. Technology, Research and Development (R&D) and Innovation
6.8. Competition
6.9. Ownership Structure of the Industry
6.10. Barriers to entry
7. INDUSTRY SUMMARY8. OUTLOOK9. INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
10. REFERENCES
10.1. Publications
10.2. Websites
APPENDIX
  • Summary of Notable Players
COMPANY PROFILES
  • Allwear (Pty) Ltd
  • Ashwood Holdings (Pty) Ltd
  • AST Safetywear CC
  • AVI Ltd
  • Baywear Clothing (Pty) Ltd
  • Blue Falcon 188 Trading (Pty) Ltd
  • Cape Mohair (Pty) Ltd
  • Cape Union Mart International (Pty) Ltd
  • Catheryne Gayela Fashions (Pty) Ltd
  • Celrose (Pty) Ltd
  • Charnaud and Company (Pty) Ltd
  • City Express Stores (Pty) Ltd
  • Colbar Clothing (Pty) Ltd
  • Davinscot Tongaat (Pty) Ltd
  • Durban Overall (Pty) Ltd
  • E'tem Fashions CC
  • Fashion United SA (Pty) Ltd
  • Foschini Retail Group (Pty) Ltd
  • Frame Leisure Trading (Pty) Ltd
  • Franz Falke Textiles (Pty) Ltd
  • Fredock Trading (Pty) Ltd
  • FrontierCo (Pty) Ltd
  • Gauteng Uniform Supplies (Pty) Ltd
  • Gelvenor Africa (Pty) Ltd
  • Gem Schoolwear (Pty) Ltd
  • Gina of Charles Street (Pty) Ltd
  • Grand Uniforms CC
  • GSM Trading (South Africa) Pty Ltd (Incorporated in Queensland Australia)
  • Hashtag Works Group (Pty) Ltd
  • Hi-Tec Sports Distributors (Pty) Ltd
  • Holdsport (Pty) Ltd
  • HTC Stores (Pty) Ltd
  • Imagemakers (Pty) Ltd
  • Jacques Hau (Pty) Ltd
  • Jade E-Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd
  • Jadine House CC
  • Jo Borkett Fashions (Pty) Ltd
  • Jonsson Workwear (Pty) Ltd
  • Judy's Pride Fashions (Pty) Ltd
  • Junit Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd
  • K-Way Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd
  • Karma Clothing (Pty) Ltd
  • Kingsgate Clothing (Pty) Ltd
  • Kitsch Kool Properties CC
  • L A Group (Pty) Ltd
  • Lancashire Manufacturing Company (Pty) Ltd
  • Levi Strauss South Africa (Pty) Ltd
  • Lontana Apparel (Pty) Ltd
  • Mary's Fashions (Pty) Ltd
  • Massmart Holdings Ltd
  • McCullagh and Bothwell (Hyde Park) (Pty) Ltd
  • McCullagh and Bothwell (Pty) Ltd
  • McIver Apparel (Pty) Ltd
  • MoreGolf (Pty) Ltd
  • Morgan Pillay Clothing Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd
  • Mr Price Group Ltd
  • Ninian and Lester (Pty) Ltd
  • Pepkor Holdings Ltd
  • Pick n Pay Retailers (Pty) Ltd
  • Planet 54 (Pty) Ltd
  • Prestige Clothing (Pty) Ltd
  • Pretty Girl Fashion Group (S A) (Pty) Ltd
  • Prikell Clothing CC
  • Qualification Schoolwear (Pty) Ltd
  • Queenspark (Pty) Ltd
  • Rage Distribution (Pty) Ltd
  • Retailability (Pty) Ltd
  • Seamless Technologies (Pty) Ltd
  • Select M Stores (Pty) Ltd
  • Shoprite Holdings Ltd
  • Shugaz Fashion and Textile (Pty) Ltd
  • Simply Work Wear CC
  • Sirdicks CC
  • Sparks and Ellis (Pty) Ltd
  • Suzi Products (Pty) Ltd
  • Sweet-Orr and Lybro (Pty) Ltd
  • Team Clothing and Gifts (Pty) Ltd
  • Tiger Uniforms (Pty) Ltd
  • Trade Call Investments Apparel (Pty) Ltd
  • Triton Clothing Manufacturers CC
  • Truval Manufacturers CC
  • Truworths Ltd
  • Twin Clothing Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd
  • Ubunye Uniforms (Pty) Ltd
  • Umoja Embroidery (Pty) Ltd
  • Venda Clothing Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd
  • Woolworths (Pty) Ltd

Companies Mentioned

  • Allwear (Pty) Ltd
  • Ashwood Holdings (Pty) Ltd
  • AST Safetywear CC
  • Baywear Clothing (Pty) Ltd
  • Celrose (Pty) Ltd
  • Charnaud and Company (Pty) Ltd
  • Colbar Clothing (Pty) Ltd
  • Davinscot Tongaat (Pty) Ltd
  • Durban Overall (Pty) Ltd
  • Franz Falke Textiles (Pty) Ltd
  • Fredock Trading (Pty) Ltd
  • FrontierCo (Pty) Ltd
  • Gauteng Uniform Supplies (Pty) Ltd
  • Gelvenor Africa (Pty) Ltd
  • Gem Schoolwear (Pty) Ltd
  • Gina of Charles Street (Pty) Ltd
  • Grand Uniforms CC
  • Hashtag Works Group (Pty) Ltd
  • Hi-Tec Sports Distributors (Pty) Ltd
  • Holdsport (Pty) Ltd
  • HTC Stores (Pty) Ltd
  • Jacques Hau (Pty) Ltd
  • Jonsson Workwear (Pty) Ltd
  • K-Way Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd
  • Karma Clothing (Pty) Ltd
  • Kingsgate Clothing (Pty) Ltd
  • Kitsch Kool Properties CC
  • L A Group (Pty) Ltd
  • Lancashire Manufacturing Company (Pty) Ltd
  • Levi Strauss South Africa (Pty) Ltd
  • Mary's Fashions (Pty) Ltd
  • McIver Apparel (Pty) Ltd
  • Morgan Pillay Clothing Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd
  • Ninian and Lester (Pty) Ltd
  • Oops Global SA
  • Planet 54 (Pty) Ltd
  • Pretty Girl Fashion Group (S A) (Pty) Ltd
  • Qualification Schoolwear (Pty) Ltd
  • Seamless Technologies (Pty) Ltd
  • Shugaz Fashion and Textile (Pty) Ltd
  • Simply Work Wear CC
  • Sirdicks CC
  • Sparks and Ellis (Pty) Ltd
  • Suzi Products (Pty) Ltd
  • Team Clothing and Gifts (Pty) Ltd
  • Tiger Uniforms (Pty) Ltd
  • Trade Call Investments Apparel (Pty) Ltd
  • Truval Manufacturers CC
  • Twin Clothing Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd
  • Venda Clothing Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd

Methodology

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