The Trade Hub participated in Interstoff Asia Essential, a major bi-annual textiles and apparel trade show that brings in over 7000 participants at each event. This was the Trade Hub’s third visit to the prestigious trade show. 

It was at a previous Interstoff Asia event that the Trade Hub linked up with Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH), the large U.S.-based retailer which has since established its Africa headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.  The spring edition of Interstoff Asia was held March 19-21 in Hong Kong and attracted buyers seeking to source a range of products from Asia and Africa.

The Trade Hub managed an Origin Africa exhibition space that promoted East African apparel producers as well as the services of key partner, the African Cotton and Textile Industries Federation (ACTIF). The Trade Hub held consultations with the Hong Kong-based sourcing offices of several high-profile brands. It is currently in discussions with one large U.S. brand to visit East Africa and explore sourcing options in Kenya and Ethiopia. 

During the exhibition, the Trade Hub conducted a seminar entitled: “The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and Doing Business with Africa – Sourcing from (and Selling to) African Apparel Exporters.” This successful session, attended by 50 business executives from the textile and apparel industry, discussed in detail the AGOA preference program and how it provides significant incentives for companies to source from Africa. 

The seminar also explored incentives available to Asian-based companies for the supply of fabric and accessories to African apparel companies under AGOA’s third-country fabric provision. This provision allows African apparel manufacturers to import and use fabrics from outside of Africa in the production of its garments and still benefit from AGOA’s duty-free treatment for shipments to the U.S.

The East Africa Trade Hub, through its Origin Africa campaign, is changing perceptions about Africa.  It is the one-stop shop for businesses and national governments seeking to take advantage of trade under AGOA, promotes direct business linkages through trade shows and inward buyers missions and creates valuable networking opportunities through business-to-business events.  Since 2009, the Trade Hub has directly supported over $160 million in exports to the U.S. under AGOA.