KENYA’S fashion industry is turning to China’s vast manufacturing, technology and e-commerce ecosystem as it seeks to expand production, improve competitiveness and position local brands for regional and global markets.
The opportunity was explored at the third edition of the East Africa (Kenya) Fashion Life Show, held at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, bringing together manufacturers, designers, retailers, distributors, importers, exporters and professional buyers.
The three-day exhibition which ran from August 13 to 15, attracted nearly 120 companies, including almost 100 Chinese exhibitors and about 20 Kenyan businesses.
The event has transformed Nairobi into a marketplace for textiles and apparel, footwear, fashion accessories, watches and clocks, beauty products, home and lifestyle goods, appliances, electronics, lighting and packaging solutions.
For Kenya’s fashion industry, however, the bigger prize is not simply importing finished products from China but using the country’s sophisticated manufacturing ecosystem to build local production capacity and internationally competitive Kenyan brands.
Afripeak Expo Kenya managing director Gao Wei said the growing exhibition reflected strong demand for direct engagement between African businesses and international manufacturers.
“The growth of the fashion life show reflects a clear demand from businesses for direct and meaningful engagement with manufacturers, suppliers and buyers,” Wei said.
He said organisers hoped the discussions would translate into sourcing agreements, distribution partnerships, investment and wider commercial cooperation.
The exhibition is also linking Kenyan designers and fashion institutions with Chinese suppliers of fabrics, accessories, garment-production equipment and other inputs.
Such partnerships could help local designers move from small-scale production into larger commercial operations while retaining distinctive African designs.
Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry national director, Ken Onditi, said deeper engagement with Chinese businesses could provide Kenyan enterprises with access to technology, production expertise, investment and international markets.
“Kenyan fashion industry players should look beyond sourcing finished products and tap into China’s rich fashion ecosystem through technology transfer, manufacturing partnerships, design collaboration and access to international markets,” Onditi said.
He said such partnerships could help enterprises move up the value chain, strengthen local production and build globally competitive Kenyan brands.
The scale of China’s fashion manufacturing industry illustrates the potential Kenya could tap into.
China exported clothing and apparel accessories worth $151.18 billion (Sh19.5 trillion) in 2025, reinforcing its position as one of the world's major fashion manufacturing centres.
Kenya does not need to replicate the Chinese model. Instead, industry players can selectively adopt production technologies, manufacturing systems, digital commerce and supply-chain models while combining them with Kenyan creativity, cultural identity and access to the African market.
The challenge is however to move beyond cut-make-and-trim operations towards greater local value addition in areas such as fabric production, design, branding, accessories, packaging, digital retail and distribution, according to industry experts.
KNCCI president Erick Rutto said the exhibition offered Kenyan enterprises an opportunity to showcase their products, establish international connections and identify new markets.
“The fashion life show creates a valuable meeting point for Kenyan enterprises and international buyers, manufacturers, distributors and investors,” Rutto said.
He urged businesses in textiles, apparel, fashion, cosmetics, home décor and consumer goods to use the platform to establish international relationships and explore opportunities for exports and expansion.
A key feature of the exhibition was a buyer-supplier matchmaking programme connecting Chinese manufacturers with Kenyan and regional importers, distributors, retailers and professional buyers.
The sessions focused on watches and clocks, home appliances and consumer electronics, with discussions covering sourcing, pricing, distribution, market access and long-term partnerships.
Wei said Chinese firms could provide machinery, fabrics, production technologies and supply-chain expertise, while Kenyan companies could contribute local design, market knowledge and access to Africa’s growing consumer market.
With Africa’s population, urbanisation and middle class expanding, Kenya is also strategically positioned as a gateway into the East African Community and the wider African Continental Free Trade Area.
Onditi said capturing part of China’s manufacturing expertise while strengthening Kenya’s creative identity could help transform the sector.
“If local designers, manufacturers and policymakers can capture even part of that expertise while strengthening Kenya’s own creative identity, the country could move closer to building a fashion industry that creates jobs at home, serves the African market and produces brands capable of competing on the global stage,” he said.
The focus now shifts from exhibition-floor meetings to converting the new connections into investment, technology transfer, manufacturing partnerships and export opportunities that can deepen Kenya’s fashion value chain.
