Abidjan hosts forum on textile care industry growth in africa

Abidjan’s economic heartland has become the epicenter of Africa’s textile care transformation this week as professionals from across the continent gather for the third edition of the African Forum of Textile Care Professionals (FAPET). Running from May 20 to 22, 2026, the event at the Plateau district is bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to address the urgent need for modernization and sustainable industrialization in textile maintenance services.

Sustainable industrialization takes center stage

The forum, themed ‘Structuring, ecological transition, and innovation: steering sustainable industrialization of textile care in Africa’, was inaugurated with a keynote address by the representative of the President of the Economic, Social, Environmental, and Cultural Council (CESEC), Soro Mamadou. Speaking on behalf of Dr. Eugène Aka Aouélé, he emphasized the sector’s growing significance in Africa’s economic development.

Once viewed as a secondary industry, textile care has emerged as a key driver of job creation, environmental stewardship, and service quality across vital sectors such as healthcare and tourism. Soro Mamadou stressed the need for African nations to develop homegrown value chains, upgrade infrastructure, and professionalize practices to meet global standards.

Challenges and collaborative solutions

The event has spotlighted persistent barriers to progress, including the informal nature of many operations, gaps in technical training, limited access to financing, and the pressing demand for ecological transition. Yoboué Célestin-Arthur, President of the African Federation of Textile Care Professionals (FAPET), highlighted these challenges while praising the collective mobilization of industry stakeholders.

Notable contributions have come from Fayçal Belaroussi, Vice President of FAPET and head of Algeria’s National Association of Laundries and Dry Cleaners, alongside M. Adebayo, President of the Fabricare Professionals and Dryclean Association. Their participation underscores the cross-border collaboration driving the sector forward.

Strategic focus on healthcare and industrial linen

FAPET 2026 is prioritizing discussions on the management of hospital, industrial, and household linen, alongside long-term strategies for scaling textile care industrialization across the continent. Organizers aim to position the forum as a catalyst for economic growth in Côte d’Ivoire, fostering public-private partnerships and promoting modern, eco-friendly practices.