Africa: Is This The Bandage For Africa’s Rising Medical Fabrics Demand?

Local cotton manufacturing moves into surgical textiles as Africa seeks import alternatives and channels more fibre into homegrown factories.

African manufacturers are increasingly turning locally grown cotton into high-value medical textiles, offering a domestic alternative to raw exports and expensive imports.

The shift is still small compared with the size of the continent’s cotton industry. But it comes as countries across the region are under pressure to produce more of the health products they consume.

As demand picks up, it has drawn entrepreneurs along the continent’s cotton value chain who want an early foothold in a market poised for strong growth in the next four years.

Market research firm Mordor Intelligence forecasts the Africa textile market to reach $49.41 billion by 2030, up from $39.21 billion in 2025.

Tellingly, “medical and healthcare textiles are the fastest growing segment, projected at 5.71% CAGR through 2030”, the firm said, pointing to rising demand for products used in hospitals and operating theatres.

“Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia are building hospitals under public-private frameworks that standardise demand for surgical drapes, fluid-repellent gowns, and certified wound dressings.” Mordor Intelligence attributes this growth to Covid-era reforms which made bulk buying of protective wear more routine.

This, it says, has encouraged IFC-backed factories in Ghana and Kenya to add clean-room production lines built to meet ISO 13485, the global standard for medical-grade production.

A move toward local sourcing of medical textiles could give manufacturers a steadier market than fashion, where producers often depend on foreign buyers and shifting orders.

For cotton-producing countries, the potential is massive because much of the raw material needed for these products is already grown locally.

In Ethiopia, Adama Development has already moved beyond cotton spinning. The company now operates a medical textile business, Nazmed Medical Textiles, alongside its cotton and textile operations.

A textile industry professional working for the company describes Nazmed as part of Adama Development’s medical textile operations.

The development reflects a broader change in the way African manufacturers are looking at cotton for new opportunities to cash in from the crop. For decades, much of the continent’s cotton has left in relatively unprocessed form.

UN Trade and Development estimates that 70% of Africa’s cotton exports are primary intermediate products such as cotton fibre. Only 12% are yarn and 18% are cotton fabrics.

The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook projects that Africa will export nearly 80% of its cotton production by 2035, although the textile and apparel industries are expanding in countries like Ethiopia and Benin.

But the uptake of medical textiles could see the continent convert more of its cotton into finished healthcare products as fresh focus and investment flow into manufacturing.

New ventures are adding capacity further along the chain. In Zambia, a China-Zambia joint venture began test runs at Mulungushi Textiles in Kabwe in January 2026 after new machinery was installed.

The $140 million rehabilitation aims to revive textile production and create hundreds of direct jobs, while also supporting cotton outgrowers.

Everness Nankala, a principal public relations officer at Zambia’s Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, said the project was “a testament to the government’s commitment to promoting industrial growth and creating employment opportunities for Zambians.” The plant is also expected to “reduce reliance on imports, and promote inclusive development,” she said.

In Zambia, another entrepreneur is already turning cotton into a medical product. Carrivorious Simasinti began producing surgical cotton wool after seeing his country export raw cotton and then import absorbent cotton products.

Simasinti founded Premier Multipurpose Cooperative Society in 2016. His factory processes cotton lint into absorbent and surgical cotton wool for medical and sanitary use.

In 2021, when UNCTAD profiled the business, the factory was producing about 7,200 kg of surgical cotton wool a month. About 70% was sold within Zambia and the remaining 30% exported to neighbouring countries.

“Demand for the product is high,” Simasinti told UN Trade and Development.

The company had also developed an outgrower scheme involving more than 100 farmers. Together, they had covered 250 hectares and were expected to produce 150 tonnes of seed cotton. But shortages of raw cotton, limited machinery and transport problems restricted expansion.

In Kenya, African Cotton Industries Limited has produced cotton wool and hygiene supplies since 1960, operating facilities in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kampala.

The firm supplies major institutional distributors, including Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies, the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority, and Kenyatta National Hospital.

In South Africa, Da Gama Textile now operates facilities with more than 580 employees, producing up to 15 million machine metres of fabric per month in Zwelitsha, Eastern Cape.

Its healthcare range now includes 100% cotton and poly cotton sheeting, linen, drapes, curtains, and uniforms with antimicrobial and water repellent finishes.

“Cotton-rich sheeting is in high demand from both public and private hospitals, as well as clinics and healthcare facilities to ensure patient comfort and laundering durability,” it noted.

The company says its medical fabrics are produced locally using mostly local materials and that its facilities have the capacity and equipment to make fabrics in different weights, designs and finishes.

South Africa has also moved further into specialised medical fabrics, with producers such as PrionTex entering this space. The company manufactures reusable laminates, theatre textiles, clean room suits, and procedure packs for African markets.

PrionTex also developed a breathable three-layer surgical gown fabric tested to EN 13795 standards to block fluids, viruses, and bacteria.

Zimbabwe, meanwhile, has developed another niche. Zimbabwe Hosiery now manufactures tubular medical bandages in two ranges. Its Tubidress range is made from 100% cotton yarn while its Perlon range uses cotton and polyester yarns.

“The Tubidress range of tubular medical bandages is manufactured from 100% cotton yarn,” the company said.

Such products may appear simple compared with high technology medical equipment, but they are part of the everyday supplies that hospitals need continuously.

That makes healthcare an attractive market for textile manufacturers in Africa’s cotton value chain. The demand is also being supported by a broader push to build local health production capacity.

In Morocco, the focus is already on medical goods. Chinese manufacturer Jiangsu Aishelun Medical Technology Group launched its first African factory at Mohammed VI Tanger Tech City in May 2026 through its Moroccan subsidiary, InnovMed Tech Group.

The company makes medical consumables and infection control items, from surgical gowns and drapes to ice packs, adult care products and urinary bags.

It plans to use the plant to serve markets across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa while sourcing raw materials across Africa.

Still, the World Health Organisation expects African countries to remain heavily dependent on imported medicines and health products and urges long-term manufacturing plans for countries.

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