Mauritius, rapidly emerging as a preferred sourcing destination for value-added products under the brand identity ‘Mauritius: Made With Care’, is positioned as an emerging hub of design, style and quality for global textile and fashion brands. Mauritius also works closely and directly with its foreign buyers to meet expected international standards, while respecting international laws relevant to those export markets.
The Mauritian textile, apparel and accessories industry, the powerhouse behind the positive transformation of the Mauritian economy over the past 40 years, exports high-quality raw materials and finished products around the world. Backed by aggressive growth strategies and skills development, competitive pricing and the fact that Mauritian products meet international standards for quality and production, Mauritian manufacturers are becoming preferred providers of top-quality textiles, apparel and accessories. Mauritius supplies textiles and apparel to major name brands, such as: Calvin Klein, Adidas, Woolworths, Tommy Hilfiger, Puma, Harrods, River Island and Levi’s.
Traditionally, buyers in the US and Europe have accounted for the bulk of Mauritian textile exports, but South African exports have increased to around 24% of total Mauritian textile exports in recent years. The main exports from Mauritius to South Africa include textiles, apparel and accessories, food and other manufactured goods such as leather, footwear and wood products. Currently, Mauritius ranks 61st in the list of supplying countries for goods imported by South Africa.
Mauritius currently enjoys strong trade relations with a number of leading large wholesale and retail groups in South Africa, and the trade mission aims to strengthen these relationships while also seeking new buyers in different categories such as boutique outlets.
The delegation of 40 Mauritian manufacturers will visit Durban from 14 to 15 March, and Johannesburg between 17 and 18 March for a series of buyers and sellers meetings to be facilitated by trade agency Enterprise Mauritius. Enterprise Mauritius CEO Arvind Radhakrishna said: “The trade mission will build on our existing strong relations with South African importers and partners. The timing of the mission is particularly opportune in light of the depreciation of the South African rand, since Mauritian manufacturers enjoy a zero rate of duty when entering the South African market.”
Radhakrishna added: “It should be noted that Mauritius is a vertically integrated sourcing destination for the textiles, apparel and accessories industry, presenting opportunities for partnership and sourcing at every stage of the textile development process – from design, to raw materials, through to final product.” Mauritius is also a competitive supplier into the corporate clothing, promotional items and sporting uniform markets internationally, and this is a sector that the Mauritian delegation is particularly interested to explore in South Africa.”
The delegation comprises companies across textiles and clothing, jewellery, and agricultural products. In addition to its globally recognised apparel and accessories industry, its jewellery sector is enjoying a high level of export growth, primarily into European markets, and has become an important economic pillar for the country. The sector employs over 2,000 people and includes around 30 companies producing fine jewellery for export. Their activities include diamond cutting, polishing and processing, the manufacture of gold and silver jewellery, and precious or semi-precious stones.
In the agro sector, the companies participating in the mission are manufacturers of unique products including herbal teas, Ayurvedic food supplements and cosmetics; Murunga Herbal Products and frozen snacks.
Enterprise Mauritius is the apex trade promotion organisation of the Republic of Mauritius. For more information on Enterprise Mauritius and the textile/garments and jewellery sectors, go to SourceMauritius.com.
Importers, buyers and retailers interested in meeting with Mauritian trade delegates in Johannesburg or Durban, can contact Sue Bowden on +27 (0) 11 728 9860 or email az.oc.ofniacirfa@eus.
