Sixteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

A decline in formal employment in the South African clothing and textile industry since 1994 has been linked to an increase in informal clothing manufacturing micro enterprises (CMMEs). Informal CMMEs are both income and job generating alternatives for unemployed people in the townships of South Africa. It is estimated that townships and informal settlements are home to almost 60% of the unemployed people in South Africa. Informal economic activity is estimated at a value of 20% of South Africa’s total gross domestic product, which suggests that significant economic activity is taking place between these informal businesses and their ‘no-income’ customers. The contribution of small and micro businesses to economic growth may be limited, but these informal CMMEs provide employment to at least the owner and up to five part-time employees who are able to generate an income and provide for their families. A gap in the literature, in particular about informal CMMEs, necessitated this study. A qualitative case study revealed that informal CMMEs contribute to the economic sustainability and social upliftment of their communities. With very limited resources these informal CMMEs provide unique, one-of-a-kind, personalized garments that cannot be bought in clothing retail stores, to township customers with limited budgets. Furthermore, micro-organizations, such as informal CMMEs, have the potential to accommodate sustainable clothing practices through small production quantities, the use of locally sourced raw materials, minimizing production waste, upcycling of garments and influencing customer’s garment choices towards quality rather than quantity.