CAPTURING MISSIONS TO KENYA IN FEBRUARY / MAY 2026 | TEXTILE MACHINERY PROJECT IN SEPTEMBER 2026

The CLUB is checking-out East Africa as a potential sourcing destination. For this purpose, two fact-finding missions to Kenya have been implemented in February and May 2025.

Kenya is a traditional manufacturing country for textiles and apparel. In the 1970s and 80s, the industry was one of the country’s most important economic sectors. While local cotton production currently offers limited capacity, the potential for further expansion is significant. The government has prioritized cotton cultivation in its ‘National Cotton Textile and Apparel Policy’ (2024) and will allocate substantial funds for the sector’s modernization in the coming years. Currently, an estimated 70 Kenyan companies operate in the sector, capable of participating in export business in terms of quality, quantity, and certification. In addition, there are numerous smaller companies, mostly active in the local market. In the fiber processing sector, there are currently around ten manufacturers of yarns (spinning mills), for example. These are almost exclusively part of larger, vertically integrated operations that also cover fabric production (weaving and/or knitting), finishing (dyeing, washing), and garment manufacturing. The market is developing dynamically: government stimulus programs provide incentives for the sector, from cotton to processing and manufacturing, not least because of the industry’s contribution to employment (the number of employees is projected to increase from approximately 400,000 today to over 2 million by 2030). Private investment (both domestic and foreign) in the Kenyan textile and apparel industry has also increased significantly in the last five years. The main driver of this growth is duty-free clothing exports to the USA (AGOA preferential status, which allows manufacturers to export goods containing, for example, fabrics from Asia to the USA duty-free). The agreement expired on September 30, 2025. Negotiations between Kenya and the US regarding the reinstatement of preferential trade status have resumed. Diversifying export markets is a key priority for the Kenyan government, aiming to reduce its dependence on the US market. Exports to the EU, by contrast, remain low, reaching only €12 million in 2024. The EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement, which entered into force on July 1, 2024, is intended to address this by allowing the import of textile and clothing products into the EU without tariff or quantity restrictions. This will create sales opportunities that German textile machinery manufacturers intend to capitalize on. Potential buyers include, for example, cotton processing companies (fiber processing and preparation), yarn manufacturers (spinning mills), fabric manufacturers (weaving / knitting and ‘non-wovens’), finishers (e.g. washing, dyeing) and garment manufacturers (manufacturers of, for example, clothing, home textiles or technical textiles).

In from 21 – 25 September 2026, a delegation of German textile machinery companies will visit Kenya to present German technology, underlining the development of the sector in Kenya. Further information on project is available here: https://www.infoaid.com/textile-machinery-kenya/

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information!

APPAREL SOURCING CLUB.Team
Keplerstrasse 19, D-73730 Esslingen am Neckar, Germany
Email: info@sourcingclub.net
Mobile Hotline: +49 (0) 172 742 50 47