Ghana’s fashion industry has gained global recognition for its creativity, cultural identity and bold designs, but industry experts say the country must shift its focus from design to industrial garment production if it wants to compete internationally.
Dr Nora Bannerman-Abbott, Chief Executive Officer of Sleek Garments Export Limited, says Ghana’s fashion sector risks remaining largely small-scale unless the country builds a strong base of industrial garment technicians capable of supporting mass production for export markets.
According to her, while Ghana continues to produce talented designers through universities and private fashion schools, industrial garment manufacturing requires a completely different set of skills.
“These are skills related to precision machine operation, pattern grading for mass production, fabric optimisation, quality control systems and production line management,” she explained.
Dr Bannerman-Abbott noted that most training institutions in the country still focus heavily on tailoring and fashion illustration rather than export-grade garment manufacturing systems.
She said this gap limits Ghana’s ability to scale its fashion industry into a major export sector.
Export potential and market demands
Ghana currently enjoys preferential access to the United States market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, but Dr Bannerman-Abbott said meeting international buyer expectations requires more than creativity.
“Export buyers require large production volumes, standardised sizing systems, strict compliance with labour and safety standards, and reliable delivery timelines,” she said.
“These requirements demand trained technicians, production supervisors and machine specialists, not just designers.”
She added that many successful garment-exporting countries built their industries on strong technical workforce development rather than fashion branding alone.
Countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh, she said, invested heavily in building skilled factory workers and production managers before expanding their fashion export industries.
Bridging the skills gap through TVET
Dr Bannerman-Abbott believes Ghana’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions could play a crucial role in addressing the industrial skills deficit.
However, she noted that many existing programmes still concentrate on small-scale tailoring rather than industrial sewing line systems used in export factories.
To make Ghana competitive globally, she suggested that training institutions introduce programmes such as industrial sewing machine certification, fabric cutting and pattern digitisation training, quality assurance systems and export compliance modules.
“Factory productivity training and exposure to modern garment manufacturing systems will significantly improve the sector’s capacity,” she said.
Opportunity for youth employment
Industrial garment production is highly labour-intensive, making it a potential source of large-scale employment for Ghana’s youth.
Dr Bannerman-Abbott said a well-structured apparel manufacturing industry could absorb thousands of young people entering the labour market every year.
Unlike informal tailoring businesses, she explained, structured garment factories provide stable wages, skills certification and opportunities for career progression.
They also expose workers to international markets and quality standards.
“This transformation would allow fashion to move beyond being a creative niche to becoming a formal industrial employer,” she noted.
Policy and infrastructure support
Dr Bannerman-Abbott stressed that skills development alone will not be enough to transform the sector.
She said the fashion and garment industry also requires reliable industrial power, access to affordable financing and the development of textile-focused industrial parks.
Reviving local textile production, she added, would also strengthen the competitiveness of garment manufacturers.
“Without a strong domestic fabric base, even skilled workers will struggle to compete internationally,” she said.
A strategic shift for the sector
Dr Bannerman-Abbott believes Ghana’s fashion narrative must evolve if the country wants to build a globally competitive apparel industry.
She said the future of the sector will depend not only on runway success but also on factory-floor efficiency and industrial production capacity.
“If Ghana invests in industrial garment skills development, fashion can become a manufacturing growth pillar rather than just a cultural showcase,” she said.
“The country must decide whether it wants to remain a nation of talented designers or build a generation of industrial garment technicians capable of driving export-led growth.”
