Abidjan is hosting the continent’s top textile care professionals this week as the third edition of the African Forum of Textile Care Professionals (FAPET) gets underway at the Plateau district. Since Wednesday, May 20 2026, delegates from across Africa have gathered to tackle the most pressing challenges in modernising and industrialising the textile care sector on the continent.
Building sustainable industrial pathways for africa’s textile care industry
The 2026 summit carries the theme “Structure, green transition and innovation: steering sustainable industrialisation of textile care in Africa.” The opening ceremony was led by Dr Eugène Aka Aouélé, representing Soro Mamadou, chair of the Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural Council (CESEC) of Côte d’Ivoire.
In his keynote address, Dr Aka Aouélé underscored how the textile care industry has evolved from a secondary activity into a key driver of job creation, environmental stewardship and high-quality service delivery in sectors such as healthcare and hospitality. “African nations must develop home-grown value chains, upgrade infrastructure and professionalise skills to meet global benchmarks,” he told the assembled delegates.
Confronting the sector’s toughest hurdles
Yoboué Célestin-Arthur, president of the African Federation of Textile Care Professionals (FAPET), highlighted persistent obstacles: a large informal workforce, shortages of technical training, restricted access to financing and the urgent need to accelerate green transitions across the industry.
He praised the commitment shown by regional peers, including Fayçal Belaroussi, FAPET vice-president and head of Algeria’s National Pressing and Laundry Association, and Adebayo, president of the Fabricare Professionals and Dryclean Association, for bringing fresh momentum to the continent-wide push.
From dialogue to action: forging partnerships and sharing best practices
The organisers view the Abidjan platform as a catalyst for Côte d’Ivoire’s economic growth and the broader African textile care industry. Through knowledge exchange, public-private partnerships and the adoption of modern, eco-friendly methods, they aim to turn shared insights into concrete industrial outcomes.
Running until Friday, May 22 2026, FAPET 2026 will place special focus on streamlining hospital, industrial and household linen management, while mapping out clear roadmaps for scaling up industrialisation across the sector.
