Ethiopian made suits enter us market

By Hayal Alemayehu

ADDIS ABAB-Wow International, a local garment manufacture, started exporting suits it produces to the US market, company General Manager and proprietor Fuad Mohammed told the Daily monitor.

The garment factory first shipment which were as well the "first" Ethiopian made suits to make it to the US market were exported a month ago , according to the GM.

Established with a total investment outlay of 20 million Birr, the one-year-old suit maker has exported about 200 pieces of men's suit to the US market in its first shipment, while it has planned to increase the volume of its export to that destination in months' time.

"I was able to witness that there was a good deal of demand for our products in the US and we will soon increase the volume of our exports to the US." Fuad said." in their first debut at a new york giant apparel trade show held some few months ago , all of our factory's showcased suit about a 100 of them- were sold out, there by proving to us the existence of a demand for our products."

We have also sent samples of pilots' uniform suits to a US based pilots association named HPL Direct up on order, out of which we are expecting to clinch some deal in the months to come. "the GM said.

According to Addis Alemayehu, Chief-of-party of VEGA ethiopia which facilitated the participation of some nine ethiopian garment companies at the stated US trade show, wow international was one of the most successful local displayer visited by a number of foreign buyers.

"As recently as two month ago, about four US and european buyers have visited our factory, while we are in the process of negation with them and other buyers to cut some deal for export," the GM has said.

Wow international will, within two to three months, as well start exporting to African countries, of which Senegal will be the forefront destination the company aimed to send its product to, according to Fuad.

Senegal tuned out Wow international's first export destination choice after the company participated in a trade show held in that country a month ago, which, according to the GM, proved an existence of a demand for the factory's produces.

Better renowned for its importing business of fashionable men's and women's suits and casual wears for over a decade under a trade name Wow fashion, Wow international currently produces men's suit, coats, and trousers for both local and international markets.

The company, which already quitted its importing business, and rather focused on manufacturing, uses imported wool-touch fabrics for its produces, while the machineries installed at the factory the proprietor.

The factory, which employs a team of skilled professional both locals and foreigners (about 150 of them), according to Fuad, will also soon start producing fashionable women's suits and casual wears .

Wow International garment factory has a capacity of producing 120 pieces of suits per a day, according to the GM.