The textile industry is an important contributor to Kenya's economy, serving as a large source of jobs and export earnings. But Kenya’s apparel industry, valued at $330 million a year, is still small, with an estimated 30,000 workers, versus the $23 billion industry in Bangladesh that employs 4.2 million people. In Kenya, the industry comprises only six per cent of the small manufacturing sector.

However, the country is trying to grab a larger slice of the global clothing market. It has the best chance to do so in a few years, thanks to shifting global trends. It all boils down to China, which is no longer the factory of the world. Even when it comes to Bangladesh international buyers are reconsidering their strategies. People are very concerned about building safety in Bangladesh. While Africa has water, cotton, labor and green energy. Cotton exports from Africa account for about 13 per cent of the world's production. And unlike Bangladesh, African countries also have duty-free access to the US apparel market.

Foreign buyers, mostly from the US, are hoping to increase the volume of orders they place with Kenyan apparel factories. And Kenyans happen to be expert clothes makers. Some factories in Kenya already produce denim for H&M, Walmart and others.