Indonesian Textile Products Find New Avenues in South Africa through “Threads of Indonesia”

The Indonesian Embassy in Pretoria, in collaboration with the Indonesian Consulate General in Cape Town and ITPC Johannesburg, organized a series of events known as “Threads of Indonesia” to promote Indonesian textiles and textile products (TPT) in the African market, particularly South Africa. The initiative, supported by Indonesia Eximbank, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, and Bank Mandiri, included fashion shows, business matchmaking, talk shows, market visits, and company tours, culminating in Cape Town from September 11th to 13th, 2023.

The event featured a fashion show at Cape Town’s iconic Mount Nelson Hotel on September 11th, where Indonesian designers Anita Gathmir and Jessica Febiani showcased elegant pieces using Indonesian traditional fabrics. Kiba Bam from TFG, South Africa’s largest retail company, praised the collaboration and expressed TFG’s interest in sustainable batik production with Indonesian producers. Last year, the Indonesian Embassy in Pretoria, ITPC Johannesburg, and TFG collaborated on the “Stories of Hope” fashion film, highlighting the fusion of Indonesian batik fabrics with South African shweshwe fabrics.

Meanwhile, during his speech, Saud Krisnawan, the Indonesian Ambassador to South Africa, highlighted Indonesia’s current status as the world’s sixth-largest textile producer and its ambitious goal of attaining the fifth position by 2030. Ambassador Saud emphasized that numerous global brands trust Indonesian factories for manufacturing their products, including 35 countries that rely on Indonesia for the production of their military attire. Furthermore, several indigenous Indonesian brands have embarked on international expansion. Despite its significant capabilities, Indonesia does not rank among the top 10 CTFL (Clothing, Textile, Footwear, and Leather) suppliers to South Africa. Ambassador Saud underlined the launch of “Threads of Indonesia” as an initiative aimed at promoting Indonesian textile products within the South African market.

The event concluded with a hybrid business matchmaking session, connecting buyers with Indonesian suppliers, including virtual interactions and product samples. Several potential transactions emerged from this matchmaking session.

The “Threads of Indonesia” program continued with a talk show on September 12th and a market visit on September 13th, 2023, further strengthening economic ties between Indonesia and South Africa. This initiative seeks to create new opportunities for Indonesian textile products in the vibrant South African market.