Investments in Senegal, Uzbekistan Aim to Expand Textile Production

Multi-million dollar investments in Senegal and Uzbekistan aim to grow apparel and textile and apparel operations in the two nations.

In Senegal, the government inaugurated a new $10.45 million textile manufacturing facility in the nation’s Diamniadio industrial zone. Developed by Turkish investment group AVCI Global Industrie, the facility will have the capacity to produce around 1,200 garments per day while creating an expected 200 new jobs for the region.

Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed off on the multi-million dollar investment as part of the nation’s broader industrialization strategy and growing focus on manufacturing as a means of economic diversification.

According to the latest data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Senegal is anticipated to produce around 55,000 bales of cotton fiber, equivalent to nearly 12,500 metric tons during the 2026-2027 season. Most of that cotton leaves the country, with only around 3.6 percent going to local processors for domestic output. At the same time, the country imports a significant volume of finished textile products.

The new facility—which was set into motion through a partnership between Senegal’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Agency for the Development and Promotion of Industrial Sites and AVCI Global Industrie—aims to change that. The factory will create additional capacity within Senegal’s textile value chain, transferring significant raw cotton exports toward domestic spinning, processing and garment production.

Along with domestic usage, the facility also will likely produce products for export to nearby markets in West Africa, which account for around 400 million consumers according to the Economic Community of West African States.

In Uzbekistan, South Korean textile and apparel operation Youngone Corporation plans to increase its investment in the nation to $40 million over the next three years. The company has already sunk $22 million into developing localized manufacturing in the nation with the goal of creating a fully vertical production chain in Uzbekistan.

Youngone has a production facility located in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and this new investment will go toward upgrading that plant while establishing new textile processing facilities. The company—which produces a wide range of apparel and footwear for brands such as The North Face, Lululemon and Patagonia—will eventually transition that plant’s production from cotton products to high-tech functional sportswear and outerwear.

Uzbekistan’s location between Europe and Asia makes it particularly favorable for Youngone, giving the company easy access to the highly lucrative markets of both regions.

Youngone’s interests in Uzbekistan extend beyond simple financial gains, as the company also is implementing new sustainability solutions at its existing factory, including solar power generation and the use of biomass energy. The apparel giant also has lent financial support to a traditional local performance theater in Samarkand, partnering with Seoul National University’s social responsibility group to help the theater overcome economic challenges.