- Much of Tanzania’s textile industry was developed in the 1970s as part of a state drive to industrialise the country. Of the 30 textile mills in existence about 80% were state-owned (in the 1980s these mills consumed about 1/3 of Tanzania produced lint). However after the privatisation programme of the late 1990s many of these mills closed altogether.

- Tanzania’s textile industry specialises in the production of “traditional” fabrics (known as kanga, kitengi, kikoi & shuka) which are worn on a daily basis by a large percentage of the local population (and by millions of others in central & eastern Africa). These textile firms will also make dyed / printed bed / table linen. This manufacturing sub-sector is dominated by a number of very large vertically integrated producers (spin-weave-finish [dye+print]).

There are three firms that make (mainly cotton) knit fabrics – but two of these are very small producers.
- There are two stand-alone cotton spinning plants that mainly sell yarns to local weavers; there is one firm spins and then weaves cotton heavy weight canvas products (some of which are coated, and some of these fabrics are transformed into tents & tarpaulins); there are two small volume blanket manufacturers; and there are a number of firms that make mosquito bed nets (Africa’s largest bed-net firm is located in Tanzania).

- Tanzania’s garment manufacturing industry is relatively small. There are two sizeable knit garment firms who export all of their output; and there are two smaller firms that concentrate on supplying knit garments into the local / regional market promotional clothing market. There is a significant small-scale garment producing sector that concentrates on making bespoke clothing for the local market.

- Being the second largest producer of sisal in the world Tanzania has a sisal processing industry that makes these products up into twines, ropes and woven fabrics (mainly used to make sacks).

For details on kanga & kitenge look at the displays of the Erie Art Museum
http://www.erieartmuseum.org/exhibits/exhibits2008/kanga/documents/kanga.ppt
http://www.erieartmuseum.org/exhibits/exhibits2008/kanga/documents/kitenge.ppt
http://www.erieartmuseum.org/exhibits/exhibits2008/kanga/documents/EAfricantextileuse.ppt
http://www.erieartmuseum.org/exhibits/exhibits2008/kanga/documents/Translations.pdf