Township fashion entrepreneurs across South Africa say they are struggling to stay afloat as a flood of cheap clothing imports continues to undermine the local manufacturing industry. Despite government localisation drives and renewed attention on the creative economy, many small designers and manufacturers say their work is being priced out of the market by mass-produced garments imported mainly from Asia.
According to trade data from the South African Revenue Service, clothing imports surged by more than 20% in the third quarter of 2025. Local producers say they simply cannot compete.
Imported fast fashion has made survival harder than ever for designers like Lerato Maseko, who runs Urban Stitch Designs in Katlehong.
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“A T-shirt I make for R180 sells for R100 in retail stores because it’s made overseas at a fraction of the cost. We try to promote local quality, but customers go for what they can afford,” she said.
Industry experts say this wave of imports is part of a larger identity crisis in South Africa’s textile and clothing sector, which has yet to recover from decades of factory closures and shifting consumer behaviour.
“Our local clothing industry is bleeding,” said Dr Jaywant Irkhede, Director of Clothing and Leather at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC).
“The R-CTFL Masterplan is aimed at encouraging structural change in the value chain to grow the domestic market, increase purchases from domestic suppliers, access and grow export markets and enhance value-chain competitiveness.”
Despite these efforts, small manufacturers say support does not always reach them. Many township-based producers operate informally and lack the capacity to meet the standards required for large-scale retail partnerships.
Nokuthula Dlamini, who owns Made in Umlazi Apparel, said she has tried to get funding to expand but has faced endless delays.
“We hear about programmes meant to support small manufacturers, but the application process is long and complicated. Most of us don’t even have accountants to do the paperwork,” she said.
Industry analysts warn that unless localisation measures are enforced more strongly, South Africa risks losing even more of its domestic clothing market to imports. Fashion economist Tshepo Maphosa noted that smaller enterprises need more than funding to compete.
“Access to local retail shelves and fair procurement processes is key,” he explained. “If township brands are not integrated into major supply chains, we will continue to see an economy where small businesses produce brilliant work that never reaches mainstream consumers.”
Some local entrepreneurs are turning to e-commerce and pop-up markets as survival tools. Maseko said social media has kept her business alive.
“Instagram is my storefront,” she explained. “It’s where people discover my brand and order directly, but it’s not enough to build long-term sustainability. We need real access to retail buyers who believe in local fashion.”
The South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU) has also raised alarm about the growing dependence on imported clothing, saying it threatens thousands of jobs across the value chain. The union has urged the government to tighten import controls and ensure that localisation policies translate into visible job creation.
lazola@vutivibusiness.co.za
