Based on the edge of the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia and established in 1991, Tribal Textiles is a Hand-painted textile company producing beautiful and original products from wall hangings, bedcovers and table linen, to bags, accessories and one off art works. Originality is the focus and true beauty of our products. We do not mass-produce and in fact, believe the strength of our product lies in its hand-made process. The objective of our thriving company is to promote fair trade practices, generate local employment and develop creative skills.
Tribal Textiles employs between 100-150 staff up to Management level and operates under the direction of a Production and Design Manager, Sales and Marketing Manager, the CEO and the Managing Director. We actively support and fund-raise for the local community school, Malimba, educating over 160 children.
The business was started by Gillie Lightfoot on the banks of the Luangwa and has grown into one of the most enduring private enterprises and rural development success stories of the region. With a close relationship to the tourism industry, the only other sustainable economic mainstay for local employment and improvement of quality of life for the residents of this remote area, Tribal Textiles has successfully provided training, employment and a future for rural Zambians in addition to becoming a local commercial success and international exporter worldwide.
The Business is situated in Mfuwe (700km by road from Zambia's Capital City Lusaka) and served by an International Airport. Tribal Textiles workshop is located 5km from the airport.
The property and Fixed Assets of the Company comprise of
- 4ha Title Deeded Property (99 year lease of which over 90 years is still valid).
-Large Central Sewing Workshop (approx 40m x 12m) including store rooms, floor manager's office. Mechanized conveyor belt oven for heat-setting paint to fabric and over 30 sewing machines.
-Three (3) x Steel Framed and Roofed Worksheds (approx 16m x 12m each) under which the artisans involved in the starch resist, hand painted textile process work.
-Store Room block.
-Junior Management and Fabric Store Block.
-Staff canteen and ablutions.
-Garages and workshop with pit.
-Main Offices (3 x admin offices) in courtyard complex connected to....
-Three courtyards with three factory outlet retail spaces, enjoying a thriving passing trade from tourism lodge guests which contributes 50% of the company's turnover.
-Kitchen and Senior Staff ablutions.
-2 x Three bedroom Staff Houses. Electrified, en suite plumbing etc.
-Whole property fenced and electrified.
-Borehole / ~3 Phase Electricity / Telephone Landlinesx2 / VSat Direct Satellite Internet Access.
The moveable assets of the Company comprise
-1 x Mitsubishi Pajero Station Wagon
-1 x Nissan Hard Body 4x4 Twin Cab Pick Up
-Computers, Printers, Telephones, HDD's, Office equipment, Catering equipment, Power Tools, generator, Mechanical Tools, Sewing machines, irons, furniture, etc etc sufficient inputs to run a successful business producing over 25km of hand-painted fabric every year, with a turnover well reflected in the asking price (complete inventory on application)
-Such manufacturing raw materials (paint, fixers, pigments, cotton material, threads etc) and consumables as are in stock at the point of sale.
-Tribal Textiles Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Safrica Adventures Ltd and holds all the assets for the textile company. Safrica Adventures is a Registered and Limited Zambian Company holding an Investment Licence since 1991. Tax Records are available for inspection as are the last three years of accounts which show a healthy turnover and profit indicative in the asking price of the package. At agreed point of sale Safrica Adventures Ltd would transfer Title on the property to Tribal Textiles Ltd and all shares in this subsidiary company would be transfered to the new owner in order that it continues to trade as normal under the same branding (Tribal Textiles), taking over the same client base etc having merely been excised from the holding company with all assets and no liabiities.
Tribal Textiles has successfully fulfilled and continues to achieve the following levels of excellence
-Providing in a remote and developmentally deprived area, job security and sustained employment to an otherwise subsistence level community.
-Producing world class, export quality product which reflects its Zambian heritage and its African pedigree combined with design led, world market conscious trends.
-Consistent annual salary and benefit increases for our employees.
-Consistent in-house training and promotion opportunities for our employees.
-HIV awareness and care facilitation and access to free ARV's for our employees.
-Facilitation of Technical Assistance through donors and NGO's to establish independent artisan and craft projects to encourage local people to develop sustainable skills and income. Workshops and consultancies facilitated to establish an independent Community Craft Co-op.
-Malimba Community School Project initiated and supported by Tribal Textiles since 2002.
-Consistent increase in turnover and profitability as a private company, achieving excellent return on investment for Directors.
-Transparent and legitimate business and accounting practices encompassing compliance with all requirements for manufacturing, licensing, workers benefits, labour relations, Income Tax, Value Added Tax etc etc
From a lifestyle aspect Tribal Textiles is located 16km from the entrance to one of Central Southern Africa's great wildlife destinations, the South Luangwa National Park.
Not only does the MD of Tribal Textiles fulfill their creative needs, run a successful business yielding a comfortable standard of living, provide employment, and occupy a genuine developmental and philanthropic niche.....but they get to live on the doorstep of Eden.
Contact us now to see how you could walk into a new way of life and own your own sustainable, productive and satisfying craft-based business......which operates exactly as a self-funding and successful NGO would, if such a thing really existed!
