We know price is a big factor when shopping for clothes. Many South Africans feel like the only options for fashion are imported ultra-fast fashion or expensive local brands. But that’s not true – there are affordable, locally made options. We researched SA’s biggest retailers to see who’s producing fashion that’s local, affordable, and made with better materials. If not Shein, what? Affordable, locally produced fashion, of course. Here’s why:
If not Shein, what?
Despite knowing about the social and environmental impacts of their choices, many South Africans import clothes from ultra-fast fashion brands Shein or Temu because of price and perceived fashionability.
Why people don’t shop local
Many South Africans say they feel stuck between two options when shopping locally:
- If they want to buy from small, independent designers, they find it’s often too expensive
- They believe that if they support large local retailers, they are still buying imported clothing, but for a higher price than importing ultra fast fashion
Is this true? We researched SA’s biggest retailers for local, affordable clothing.
More locally made clothes
It’s no longer true that retailers are only importing clothes. Many major SA retailers are increasing their local production*.
We looked into:
✔Local production
✔ Fabrics
✔ Price range
* This is in response to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s Retail-Clothing, Textiles, Footwear and Leather Value Chain Master Plan to 2030.
The Foschini Group
The Foschini Group (TFG) Includes brands such as Foschini, Archive, Fabiani, Markham, Bash, Sportscene, Totalsports, and more.
Production
- 79.2% of TFG’s apparel is sourced locally from SA and the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
- 20.6% of units are made in TFG-owned factories
Fabrics
- 8,613 tonnes of Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) certified cotton was used in 2023, reducing water and pesticide use
- Foschini produces denim locally using innovative, sustainable technologies
Price
- R159 for 100% cotton T-shirt, made locally
UNIQ by Checkers
Despite criticism for mimicking Uniqlo, UNIQ does offer something new to the SA market
Production
- Sourced from SADC region
- Plans to expand production in SA
Fabrics
- High-quality natural fibres like Supima cotton and merino wool
Price
- R199 for 100% cotton T-shirt, made regionally
- While not as cheap as other available options, their prices are impressive for their high quality materials
Pick ‘n Pay Clothing
Production
- Pick “Local” sticker on online store
- 45% of clothing sourced locally
- 97% of direct suppliers registered on the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (SEDEX)
Fabrics
- 28.3% of cotton sourced sustainably from BCI
Price
- R65 for 100% cotton t-shirt, made locally
Mr Price Group
Production
- Increased local production by almost 20% from 2022 to 2023
- 37.8% of total group spend is on local manufacturing
- Commitment to local production supports 35,000+ jobs in SA
Fabrics
- 12% of units produced use cotton from BCI and Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA)
Price
- R99.99 for 100% cotton T-shirt
Reality check
The main focus here is to highlight local production and in support of rebuilding the local textile economy, not to claim that these retailers are perfectly sustainable.
Sustainable and ethical fashion will not be cheap:
- Quite simply, it’s more expensive to pay people living wages and to use sustainable materials
- But if you are looking for budget-friendly clothing, shopping locally provides local jobs and supports the SA economy
Change won’t happen overnight, but supporting locally made clothing helps rebuild the industry for a more affordable, sustainable future.
Other affordable alternatives
Other options for finding budget-friendly fashion that isn’t ultra-fast? Try:
- Sample sales: Local designers often sell past-season or sample pieces at a discount
- Clothing swaps: Trade with friends or through swap events
- Second-hand shopping: Thrift stores, Yaga, and vintage shops
- Clothing rental: Occasion wear without the waste
Sources
- Mr Price Group
- The Foschini Group
- Private email correspondence (20 December 2024) between Jackie May and Helen Twemlow, TFG Head of Sustainability
- Information about the T-shirt
- Uniq
- News report about SADC production Reuters
- News report about name Bizcommunity
- Pick n Pay
- Sustainability report
Image: Foschini collaboration with natural hair artist, Nikiwe Dlova
