Product Description: Sweaters (knitwears) are popular types of clothes both in the rural and urban areas especially among the female population. Sweaters are worn both by children and adults. In rural areas, the formal dress for women (in special occasions such as holidays) include sweater which is worn on top of skirts. Uniforms of students mostly include sweaters.
2. Rationale: There are very small scale manually operated sweater making units in the main cities (Dessie, Gondar, Bahir Dar) of the Region. But they only cater to their respective local markets. The bulk of the sweater consumption of the Amhara Region comes from Addis Ababa where there are large and small scale sweater making factories. Most sweaters are made from synthetic yarns. Since the technology and the skill of making sweater is common, the Amhara region has the capacity to produce these mass consumed products.
3. Market potential: Go to any market place in any market day in rural Amhara, you find bundles of sweaters of different sizes, color and quality in the clothing rows of the market place. All these sweaters are made in Addis Ababa. Of the 19 million people in the Region, at the minimum 5 percent can be assumed to wear sweaters. This translates to a consumption figure of 0.90 million pieces of sweaters. The consumption volume is the production capacity of many small and medium size sweater making plants. This opportunity should be exploited by investors by establishing sweater making plants in the Region.
4. Source of raw Materials: Sweaters are made from acrylic, wool and cotton yarn. Acrylic yarn and cotton yarn can be purchased from domestic sources while wool yarn will be imported.
5. Process and technology: The process of making sweaters involves the following:
§ Winding of the raw material-yarn on cones
§ Setting of the cones on knitting machines
§ Knitting (semi-manually)
§ Inspection of the knitted fabrics
§ Cutting of the knitted fabrics according to needs
§ Stitching
§ Over locking and fixing of bottons etc.
§ Pressing and packing
Main machines required include hand and feet knitting machine, over locking machine, sewing machine, chain lock stitching machine, electric presses, set of working tools.
6. Estimated Investment: For a small plant that will produce 4,500 pieces of normal size sweaters per year, the investment cost will be
§ Building 80 m2 at Birr 1500/m2 120,000
§ Plant and Machinery 100,000
§ Working Capital 50,000
Total 270,000
7. Benefits: Promotes self-sufficiency, saves regional financial resources, and increases supply of regionally produces clothing material for the Region’s population.
8. Location: Any Urban Center.