Ivorian capital hosts African textile care leaders to boost industry growth
Since Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Abidjan has been the epicenter of the third edition of the African Forum for Textile Care Professionals (FAPET). The event, held at the Abidjan-Plateau district, brings together key players from across Africa to address critical challenges and opportunities in modernizing and industrializing the textile care sector on the continent.
Forging a sustainable future for Africa’s textile care industry
The three-day forum, themed “Structuring, ecological transition, and innovation: steering sustainable industrialization in Africa’s textile care sector”, was inaugurated in the presence of a representative from the Council for Economic, Social, Environmental, and Cultural Affairs (CESEC), Soro Mamadou.
Addressing delegates on behalf of the CESEC president, Dr. Eugène Aka Aouélé emphasized the growing significance of the textile care industry in Africa’s economic development. Once regarded as a secondary activity, the sector has evolved into a major contributor to job creation, environmental protection, and service enhancement in vital industries such as healthcare and tourism.
Soro Mamadou underscored the urgency for Africa to develop its own value chains, upgrade infrastructure, and professionalize its workforce to meet global standards. “We must build resilient, eco-friendly systems that align with international benchmarks,” he declared to the assembled African delegations.
Key challenges and collaborative solutions
The forum highlighted persistent hurdles facing the industry, including informality, limited technical training, restricted access to financing, and the pressing need for faster ecological transition.
The president of the African Federation of Textile Care Professionals (FAPET), Yoboué Célestin-Arthur, pointed out these obstacles while acknowledging strong sectoral mobilization. He commended the efforts of leaders such as Fayçal Belaroussi, vice-president of FAPET and head of Algeria’s National Association of Laundries and Dry Cleaners, and M. Adebayo, president of the Fabricare Professionals and Dryclean Association.
Turning vision into action
Organizers are leveraging this edition to strengthen Côte d’Ivoire’s economy by fostering knowledge exchange, public-private partnerships, and the adoption of contemporary, eco-conscious practices. Running from May 20 to 22, 2026, the event places special emphasis on managing hospital, industrial, and household textiles, while exploring pathways for broader industrialization of the sector across Africa.
