China is turning Ethiopia into a giant fast-fashion factory

© Ruletkka

A fascinating article by Bloomberg on how the Chinese are moving their apparel manufacturers to Ethiopia. It’s cheap to do, they’re quick to build and it has government support. And production is ramping up quickly. However, there are a few flies in the ointment for these “pioneers”. Power in Ethiopia is shared unevenly: one party controls every seat in parliament, but only represents 6% of the population; civil war is a possibility, writes Bloomberg. There is also an “efficiency” issue with untrained employees, as well as logistics problems getting the goods out of the country. A worthwhile read for anyone involved in the apparel trade, logistics, or sourcing in Ethiopia.

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