Allfashion Sourcing styles a future for and by Africans

16 July 2026

The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos, cut the ribbon this week at the Allfashion Sourcing event taking place from 14 to 16 July 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

Allfashion Sourcing, which the City of Cape Town sponsors, is a business-focused marketplace for and about Africa’s textile and fashion industry, and brings together exhibitors, experts and other roleplayers working and playing across the span of the value chain.

‘Allfashion Sourcing returns to Cape Town for critical engagements that centre African designers, manufacturers, sustainability experts, students and other emerging and existing leaders within the apparel and textile industry.  This gathering is vital for recognising and responding to the vast potential that still largely goes untapped, as well as the challenges that continue to exist within the industry on the continent,’ said Alderman Vos.

One such opportunity and simultaneous challenge is that of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), the world’s largest free trade area, by population, covering 1,4 billion people with a combined GDP of US$3,4 trillion.

‘Take, for example, that Africa has over 20% of global land used in cotton cultivation, while its split of international textile and apparel exports is less than 5%. AfCFTA can change that because it prioritises production of goods within the continent for the continent. Africa has the resources, both natural and human, and Allfashion Sourcing urges us to work together across the private and public sectors to unlock such opportunities,’ said Alderman Vos.

Ahead of the event, Alderman Vos also visited Taking Care of Business (TCB), the event organisers' social impact partner and one of the Allfashion Sourcing exhibitors.

TCB enables unemployed South Africans with entrepreneurship skills wherein they create small, informal businesses with donated retail waste that would otherwise have ended up in landfill. Between April 2024 and March 2025, TCB recruited 688 unemployed people, saw 2,08 million waste items donated to their programmes, and enabled their programme’s participants and graduates to make a collective R49,9 million in estimated profits.

‘TCB’s circular economy model works with leading retailers and manufacturers to give excess stock a second life, thereby diverting products from landfill, creating self-employment opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs. This is exactly the kind of innovation that demonstrates how sustainability and social impact can work hand in hand to drive economic growth,’ said Alderman Vos.

Exhibitors like TCB can connect with buyers, retailers and designers at Allfashion Sourcing through the Business Matchmaking Programme, which aims to create targeted conversations that lead to new commercial partnerships.

The event also includes the ninth edition of the Young Designers Competition in which young creators are challenged to design thematic styles for the runway. This year’s theme is ‘Circular by Design: Reuse. Repurpose. Recycle.’

Sources:

“One such opportunity and simultaneous challenge is that of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), the world’s largest free trade area, by population, covering 1,4 billion people with a combined GDP of US$34 trillion.” - https://www.thedtic.gov.za/sectors-and-services-2/1-4-2-trade-and-export/afcfta-2/
“Take, for example, that Africa has over 20% of global land used in cotton cultivation, while its split of international textile and apparel exports is less than 5%.” - https://it-rc.org/2025/06/27/africa-cotton-textile-and-apparel-centre-policy-brief-may-2025/
“Between April 2024 and March 2025, TCB recruited 688 unemployed people, saw 2.08 million waste items donated to their programmes, and enabled their programme’s participants and graduates to make a collective R49.9 million in estimated profits.” - https://www.tcb.org.za/taking-care-of-the-circular-economy-empowering-people-reducing-waste/
“Exhibitors such as TCB will have the chance to interact with buyers, retailers and designers at Allfashion Sourcing through the Business Matchmaking Programme which aims to create targeted conversations that lead to new commercial partnerships.” - https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/allfashion-sourcing-cape-town-returns-to-boost-local-manufacturing-731972a

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office