- Kenyan fashion SMEs have been urged to partner with Chinese firms to access global markets, technology and new business opportunities.
- Nearly 120 companies, including about 100 Chinese and 20 Kenyan firms, participated in the East Africa (Kenya) Fashion Life Show.
- Buyer supplier matchmaking sessions connected Kenyan businesses with Chinese manufacturers, distributors and investors to promote trade deals and partnerships.
Small businesses in Kenya’s fashion industry have been encouraged to forge partnerships with Chinese firms as a pathway into the wider international market.
Speaking at the third East Africa (Kenya) Fashion Life Show, held at Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) President Dr Erick Rutto said the exhibition gave Kenyan enterprises a chance to showcase their products, build international connections and identify new markets.
Rutto described the show as an important gathering point linking Kenyan enterprises with international buyers, manufacturers, distributors and investors. He encouraged businesses in manufacturing, textiles, apparel, fashion, cosmetics, home décor and consumer goods to use the platform to build relationships abroad and pursue growth and export opportunities.
Nearly 120 companies took part in this year’s edition, including close to 100 Chinese firms from provinces such as Hunan, Zhejiang, Shandong and Anhui, alongside about 20 Kenyan businesses.
The 2025 edition had drawn over 70 exhibitors from both countries, marking a significant jump in participation this year. Organisers have also built a database of more than 35,000 professional buyers across Kenya and the wider East African region.
A key addition to this year’s programme was a buyer-supplier matchmaking initiative pairing Chinese manufacturers with Kenyan and regional importers, distributors and retailers, including specialised sessions focused on watches and clocks, and on home appliances and consumer electronics, aimed at generating concrete business deals rather than just product displays.
READ:
KNCCI National Director Ken Onditi, who represented the Chamber at the event, said stronger business partnerships were essential for helping local enterprises break into new markets and remain competitive in a demanding global economy.
He pointed to the exhibition’s role in bringing manufacturers, exporters, distributors, investors and buyers together on a single platform, creating room for business-to-business engagement, technology transfer and access to regional and international markets.
Onditi also commended KNCCI member companies exhibiting at the show, saying their presence reflected the diversity and competitiveness of Kenya’s private sector, and reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to strengthening regional value chains and positioning Kenya as a preferred trade and investment hub in Africa.
Afripeak Expo Kenya Managing Director Gao Wei, whose firm co-hosts the exhibition alongside KNCCI, said the growth of the show pointed to rising demand among businesses for direct, practical engagement with manufacturers, suppliers and buyers, describing the event as having evolved beyond a conventional trade exhibition into a broader business platform.
The exhibition is widely viewed as a marker of deepening commercial ties between Kenya, China and the broader East African region, giving local businesses room to explore partnerships that go beyond the traditional buyer-seller arrangement, including direct access to manufacturing technology and bulk sourcing capacity that many Kenyan fashion SMEs currently lack.
Products on display ranged from textiles and apparel to footwear, fashion accessories, beauty products, household goods, electronics, home appliances, lighting and packaging solutions.
By Benedict Aoya
Get more stories from our website: Sacco Review.
For comments and clarifications, write to: Saccoreview@
Kindly follow us via our social media pages on Facebook: Sacco Review Newspaper for timely updates
Stay ahead of the pack! Grab the latest Sacco Review newspaper!
