Making african fashion players more prosperous
Partnerships for development
CAFET works with governments, development agencies, businesses, and investors to develop the African fashion industry.
Areas of Focus
Trade
Unlock market access through buyer connections, trade shows, and more.
Education
Develop a skilled fashion workforce to improve efficiency and drive industry growth.
Technology
Accelerate technology adoption to boost competitiveness and speed to market.
Infrastructure
Cultivate partnerships to deliver infrastructure solutions that address apparel value chain needs.
Sustainability
Contribute to positive environmental, social, impact through sustainable supply chain solutions and practices.
Value Chain Innovation
Execute a targeted country and sector strategy to boost investment.
PRIORITY #1
Drive Demand
Africa accounts for less than 2% of global fashion trade; increasing this percentage is one of our mandates. Our cross-border commerce initiatives support African fashion players and stakeholders to increase global exports.
PRIORITY #2
Improve Supply
Africa's booming fashion industry faces a critical hurdle: a fragmented and underdeveloped value chain. Our value chain initiatives provide business owners and professionals with the skills, systems, and infrastructure to build and scale fashion businesses.
Fashion for development
CAFET is in the business of making the fashion industry a pathway to prosperity in Africa, and we believe that collaborative models and systemic approaches are the way to achieve success.
Our Services
1. Trade & Investment Support Services
Providing buyer linkages, export-readiness training, supply chain support (product development, production & logistics), and production financing support.
2. Value Chain Development Advisory
Supporting organizations and governments design and implement initiatives: capacity building for value chain players, trade programs, value chain research, and more.
3. Standard Training Programs
Delivering CAFET’s flagship courses as a standalone or part of a broader program:
Supply & Value Chain Optimization
Employment & Entrepreneurship Opportunities Across the Value Chain
Export-Readiness (leveraging trade agreements like AGOA & AfCFTA)
4. Custom Training Programs
Designing and delivering need-based training to upskill fashion entrepreneurs and professionals at every stage of the fashion value chain (requires a minimum class size):
Entrepreneurship Development Training
Workforce Development Training
Theory of change
Value-chain led + Collaborations driven
By simultaneously addressing key challenges at each stage of the five-value chain process, we achieve significant improvements at the end of the chain, such as enhanced quality, increased quantity, and reduced costs. The most effective way to accomplish this is by working with others.
Our Projects
US-Africa ATI Program Trade Facilitation
Wholesale trade services - connecting African apparel suppliers to U.S. buyers.
US-Africa Trade & Investment Facilitation
Facilitating investments and access to market for Africa apparel suppliers.
Online Fashion Certificate Programs
Online modules providing in-depth fashion business and technology education.
Offline Fashion Certificate Programs
In-person training equipping participants with hands-on skills and experience.
Vision
A globally competitive African fashion industry that fosters economic growth, facilitates job creation, and empowers communities.
"Fashion is much more than an economic asset. It is also a powerful lever for the promotion of cultural diversity, for the rediscovery of intangible cultural heritage and for the empowerment of young people and women.”
Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General
STANDARD PROJECT DEPLOYMENT #1: Pre-Production & Production
FIT Hubs
We deploy our Fashion Innovation & Technology (FIT) Hubs through a franchise model. These hubs offer affordable access to fashion technology, enabling faster, more cost-effective, and efficient design, prototyping, and manufacturing to enhance competitiveness.
STANDARD PROJECT DEPLOYMENT #2: End-to-End Value Chain
Lable Lite
We deploy our hybrid venture studio and brand accelerator, modeled after a record label, to scale African fashion brands. Lable supports brands in four areas: brand & product development, infrastructure & production, market access & distribution, and financial & operational support.
Industry Pulse
UNESCO African Fashion Report: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities
Prosper Africa: Investing in Africa Creative Industries Report
Atlantic Council on Investing in Africa’s Creative
Industry Perspective by CAFET Partner, Eme Bassey
Let's connect
Want more details on our work and how we can work together?
© CAFET. All rights reserved.
Cross-Border Commerce Initiatives
Africa accounts for less than 2% of global fashion trade; increasing this percentage is one of our mandates. Our cross-border commerce initiatives support African fashion players and stakeholders to increase global exports.
ONE
Export-Readiness Training
Delivered through two critical online training modules in partnership with AltSchool & YABATECH:
Value & Supply Chain Optimization: Preparing production and operations for export, taking into account AGOA country of origin requirements.
Product Development for the U.S. Market: Designing products that align with U.S. consumer preferences and standards.
TWO
Product Development Infrastructure
Providing access to fashion technology to enable faster, cheaper, and more efficient design and development for the export market.
Communal micro-factories providing a complete range of design and development services.
Learning centres offering fashion technology training.
THREE
Market Linkages
We help brands find, engage, and retain U.S. buyers:
Tradeshows: We curate and display products, handling all buyer interactions, product showcases, and order facilitation.
Buyer Sourcing: Assign experienced agent/consultant(s) to facilitate connections with buyers seeking ethically sourced, diverse products.
FOUR
Export Support
For brands that secure purchase orders, CAFET provides hands-on support with:
Sampling and vendor onboarding with U.S. buyers.
Production scaling and fulfillment using AGOA to reduce duties and tariffs.
Logistics and compliance to ensure smooth export processes.
Low-interest production financing to support timely fulfillment.
Let's connect
Want more details on our work and how we can work together?
© CAFET. All rights reserved.
Talent Development Programs
Traditional initiatives often prioritize entrepreneurship development, but without a skilled workforce, these efforts struggle to translate into lasting success. Our workforce development training develops the industry's professionals.
STEP 3
Needs Assessment
Our Fashion Innovation & Technology (FIT) Hubs provide affordable access to fashion technology enabling faster, cheaper, and more efficient design, prototyping, and manufacturing to boost competitiveness.
STEP 4
Curriculum xx
Affarel, our wholesale trade and sourcing arm, provides consulting and trade services to facilitate apparel exports to the US under AGOA, opening new markets and growth opportunities.
STEP 3
Supply xx
Our Fashion Innovation & Technology (FIT) Hubs provide affordable access to fashion technology enabling faster, cheaper, and more efficient design, prototyping, and manufacturing to boost competitiveness.
STEP 4
Talent Matching
Affarel, our wholesale trade and sourcing arm, provides consulting and trade services to facilitate apparel exports to the US under AGOA, opening new markets and growth opportunities.
Let's connect
Want more details on our work and how we can work together?
© CAFET. All rights reserved.