This archive report was first published on 8 July 2019.
On July 8, 2019, the United Nations announced its support for sustainable fashion by harmonizing its sustainable development goals (SDGs) with the movement.
The UN's new alliance aims to promote active collaboration, share knowledge, strengthen synergies between existing initiatives, and achieve outreach and advocacy in the fashion industry.
The launch of the alliance took place in Nairobi in March 2019 during the UN Environment Assembly.
Kenya has a chance to stand out from China and other Asian manufacturers in global apparel production by adopting sustainable fashion practices.
China currently leads the world in global apparel production, accounting for 38 percent of exports to the US, the largest apparel market.
However, China is reducing its sales to the US to supply its domestic market, leaving other market players to fill the gap in demand.
According to the Kenya Apparel and Textile Report, brands will have their own in-house manufacturers in the future, allowing for a direct relationship between manufacturers and consumers.
Consumers will be able to know exactly where and how their favorite labels are produced.
Millennial consumers in the US are willing to pay more for sustainable apparel products, with 87 percent of them willing to do so.
However, Kenyan companies continue to rely on expensive imported materials rather than producing them locally, hindering the shift to more sustainable models in production.
Kenya is leading the rest of Africa in cotton exports, but cotton production has been unstable recently, resulting in firms importing cotton from neighboring countries.
Investors in cotton, textile, and apparel production should choose Kenya as a source of production due to its preferential market access, labor availability, good infrastructure, strong buyer linkages, stable political climate, and investor-friendly policies, according to the International Trade Commission.
There is a strong opportunity for Kenya to increase cotton production sustainably and partner with global apparel brands to develop environmentally friendly cotton products.
— Loren Nichole, sustainable fashion analyst
