Ethiopia has launched a strategy to make the most of its potential in the textile sector. The industry has advantages like power abundance and a growing human and material capital. It is witnessing rapid growth as a number of domestic and multinational firms are engaged in production of textiles, garments and apparel for domestic and global markets.

The country has Africa's largest industrial park. This flagship industrial park is capable of hosting gigantic multinational firms. It has a state-of-the-art waste treatment plant, the first of its kind in Africa.

The other striking thing about this industrial park is the integration of products in a complementary manner. For instance, there are companies like PVH that manufacture readymade apparels and such firms get their textile inputs from a gigantic Chinese textile manufacturer also in the same premises.

With about 194 medium and high level textile and apparel manufacturers operational so far in the country, the sector has created job opportunities for nearly 90,000 citizens and secured hard currency revenue of 81 million dollars in the last eleven months.

The Ethiopian textile sector is attracting top international firms amid the nation’s bid to industrialize. The sector is expected to facilitate technology transfer and capacity development through training and experience sharing.