A new trade platform aims to connect Africa’s fashion supply chain in Accra later this year. The Alternative Fashion Fabric Fair, known as Alt.FFF, will take place on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at The Palms Convention Centre in La Palm Royal Beach Hotel. The event places African materials, production and sourcing at the centre of conversations about the future of fashion under the theme “Where Materials Speak Before Fashion.”
Focus on the supply chain behind the clothes
Fashion events often highlight finished garments and designers. Alt.FFF shifts the focus to the broader ecosystem that makes fashion possible. The fair brings together producers, artisans, manufacturers and material innovators. It aims to create opportunities for participants to discover, trade and be inspired. By placing these resources at the forefront, the organizers hope to strengthen intra-African trade and encourage businesses to look within the continent for materials and commercial partnerships.
Makeba Boateng, the Founder of Fashion Forum Africa and Lead Curator of Alt.FFF, said the fair is designed to shift the conversation. “We want people to look beyond the finished garment and ask: Where did the material come from? Who produced it? What capabilities exist within Africa? And how can we create stronger business relationships around them?” Boateng added that the launch edition will bring together the people and businesses shaping this part of the ecosystem.
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Stakeholders from across the fashion, textile, manufacturing, creative and cultural sectors are expected to attend. The list of attendees includes fabric and fibre producers, artisans, leather businesses, designers, manufacturers, buyers, retailers, sourcing professionals, investors and fashion enthusiasts.
Support from industry institutions
The event is being organised by Fashion Forum Africa and supported by several industry and cultural institutions. Supporting partners include the Association of Ghana Industries Garments, Textiles and Leather Sector, the National Commission on Culture, the Institute of Textiles & Fashion Professionals Ghana (ITFP-Ghana), the Ghana Culture Forum, the Ghana Tourism Authority and the Creative Arts Agency. Black Star Experience serves as an official key partner.
This approach to connecting supply and demand reflects a broader trend in the industry. While many recent initiatives focus on the final product or brand marketing, a smaller but growing number of events prioritize the physical production of materials. By bringing producers and buyers into the same space, Alt.FFF attempts to address the gap between raw material availability and final garment production in Africa. The inaugural Alternative Fashion Fabric Fair takes place from 9am to 8pm on the day mentioned above.
