By Levy Masiteng
Cape Town has invited small businesses in the clothing, textile, footwear and leather sector to participate in its ‘Origin8: From Start-up to Scale-up’ programme.
It is designed by the Cape Clothing and Textile Cluster (CTCC) and funded by the city.
“The city is proud to partner with the CCTC on the Origin8 programme. Through this collaboration, we are committed to helping these businesses on their journey to showcase their potential and scaling their business,” said economic committee MMC Alderman James Vos.
The programme is the first of its kind and aims to expose SMEs to major national retailer requirements. It will help them bridge the gaps that exist in their business to better align with industry standards and customer expectations
CCTC chief facilitator Courtney Barnes emphasised the importance of the cluster’s commitment to enhancing the Western Cape’s clothing, textile, footwear and leather industries.
“As retailers look to diversify their sourcing and onshore products, it is critical that the local value chain has the capacity and capabilities to respond.
“This means we need a strong pipeline of future suppliers. We are launching the CCTC Origin8 programme to fast-track this pipeline development and ensure that small businesses have a compelling value proposition to potential customers,” she said.
The rollout of the programme includes two key events.
On 21 January 2025, there will be a workshop offering SMEs the opportunity to engage directly with major national retailers and gain valuable insights into the critical questions that customers ask when assessing new supplier.
They will also discuss common challenges to unlocking procurement opportunities and be equipped with practical tools to better align their business offerings with customer expectations and more effectively showcase their potential.
The workshop will be followed by a half-day guided factory tour on the next day.
SMEs will have the chance to observe world-class manufacturing and best practices in action.
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