To ensure quality, consistency, and cost-efficiency in any apparel, home textile, or industrial textile company, it is essential to find the appropriate supplier of fabric in South Africa. Despite the difficulties, such as the threat of imports and the declining local production capacity, many of the old players are still entrenched in the South African textile manufacturing industry, which still manufactures a range of fabrics; both traditional shweshwe prints, as well as technical textiles.
This paper will explore the ten best fabric suppliers in South Africa in 2026, and will provide in-depth profiles of each: what was their founding history, their production capacity, their fabric specializations, their staff size, and what makes them stand out in the competitive local market. We will also present a comparison table, recommendations on selecting a supplier, and explain the advantages of cooperating with well-established manufacturers. This guide will assist you in making sure sourcing decisions, regardless of whether you are a designer, a brand sourcing locally, or an industrial buyer.
Top 10 Fabric Suppliers in South Africa in 2026
Here are ten of the most significant, credible, and influential fabric suppliers / manufacturers in South Africa, based on scale, legacy, product range, and market impact.
- Da Gama Textiles (Good Hope Textile Corporation)
- Svenmill (Sven Mill)
- Aranda Textile Mills
- Helm Textile Mills
- JMV Textiles (Pty) Ltd
- Millar Textiles
- Ninian & Lester Group
- Yarntex (Pty) Ltd
- Standerton Mills
- GKM Silverguard / Silverguard Textiles
Let’s go through them one by one.
Here are ten reputable fabric suppliers / textile manufacturers in South Africa, described in paragraph form:
1. Da Gama Textiles
Da Gama Textiles under its initial name Good Hope Textile Corporation is one of the oldest textile manufacturers in South Africa with complete vertical integration in spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing and finishing. The company is based in Zwelitsha in the Eastern Cape and produces a wide range of fabrics, including the famous Three Cats Original Shweshwe, home furnishings fabrics, workwear blends of cotton and technical and medical fabrics. They have their own design and print facilities making it possible to have rich patterns and regional designs and the technical textile line fulfills industrial and protective fabric requirements. Da Gama is so integrated into the local economy that it employs a large percentage of its workforce within its local communities and its size allows it to operate volumes of production in the tens of millions of machine metres a month.
2. Svenmill (Sven Textile Mills)
Svenmill is a Cape Town based textile manufacturer with high versatility both in home decor and technical fabrics. Product lines they deal with are curtain fabrics, upholstery fabrics, warp-knitted high-performance fabrics, and flame retardant or high-tenacity fabrics that are used as protective clothing or industrial. Svenmill uses both modern finishing methods and traditional weaving techniques which allow them to fabricate both wide-width textile and performance fabrics that can be utilized in harsh environments. They also focus on sustainability and use recycled plastic materials in some of their lines. Their business model helps to serve large-volume industrial orders as well as niche, design-oriented applications, which makes them a versatile partner to designers, contractors, and manufacturers.
3. Aranda Textile Mills
Aranda Textile Mills is a family owned mill that has a long history of South African textile industry, especially in the production of woven throws and blankets, including the Basotho Heritage Blanket, which has a rich cultural connection. The company, based in Randfontein, does not only specialize in creating decorative blankets and home linens, but also serves the industrial markets with its technical textiles division. Their technical arm focuses on the production of fiberglass mesh to strengthen the building and mosaic tiles, proving their ability to cater to both the craft and extremely technical industries. Aranda is dedicated to the principles of quality craftsmanship and social impact, which makes it a two-sided player: it is committed to maintaining local weaving traditions and innovating to be used in the industrial sphere.
4. Helm Textile Mills
Helm Textile Mills is one of the leading fabric manufacturers in South Africa established in 1992. They have a wide range of markets, such as contract textiles (hotels, offices, cinemas), domestic decoration fabrics (curtains, upholstery, throws), automotive upholstery materials, outdoor performance fabrics, and bedding textiles. Helm boasts of integrating contemporary manufacturing with design sensitivity: they provide custom color matching, special finishes such as waterproofing or fire resistance, and even antimicrobial. Their factory-direct model provides their clients with cost benefits by eliminating intermediaries. The value of sustainability is also central to the Helm brand – they consider responsible sourcing and environmental awareness in all their activities.
5. JMV Textiles (Pty) Ltd
JMV Textiles is a vertically integrated organization started more than 50 years ago and a family-owned business based in Verulam, KwaZulu Natal. Their business encompasses circular knitting, yarn production, screen printing, dyeing and finishing. JMV has fabric products that have a wide range of knitted textile; pure cotton, poly cotton, viscose mixes, all of which can be dyed or printed in-house. They use advanced dyeing machines to make their products and have an internal design studio with CAD/graphics facilities to develop patterns. JMV upholds quality by having special inspection areas and lab tests, and they are endorsed by major South African retail stores, which makes JMV a reliable source of not only local brands, but also large-chain suppliers.
6. Millar Textiles
Since 1990, Millar Textiles has been in operation; it has offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Instead of operating as a mill, they operate as a full-service fabric distributor: they carry an extensive inventory of textiles and serve customers in the apparel industry, corporate uniforms, scrub/medical fabrics, hospitality and home furnishings. Millar Textiles produces fabrics in prepared-for-dye (PFD), and prepared-for-print (PFP) versions, where clients create their own custom colorways or prints. They offer free swatch services and they have a national network of distribution which allows them to deliver their products reliably throughout South Africa. Their role as a supplier qualifies them to be used by designers, garment producers and work wear manufacturers that require standard and specialty substrates.
7. Ninian & Lester Group
The Ninian and Lester Group is a varied textile and clothes company with its base situated in Durban but its operations are spread in knitting, yarn production, fabric dyeing, and garment manufacturing. They are especially famous with their circular knit fabrics and with the production of polypropylene yarn, masterbatch, and other similar raw materials. Their operations are fully integrated to enable them to provide both raw knitted fabric and ready to use material to the garment makers, making them an important partner to the brands that desire a streamlined sourcing process. As per the industrial data, Ninian and Lester have a substantial workforce and up-to-date finishing services, which guarantee quality compliance with the local and export clients.
8. Yarntex (Pty) Ltd
Yarntex is a company that focuses on the production of yarns especially wool, viscose, synthetic and mixed yarns. Their work facilitates the upstream sector of the textile production, by providing high quality dyed yarns to the weaving and knitting mills in South Africa. They are not a fabric mill, but their contribution is essential: without their dyed yarn, textile manufacturers will not be able to make consistent and high-performing fabrics. Yarntex enables mills to cut down lead times, assure rigor mortis color consistency and ensure more efficient production processes by providing dyed yarn in different fiber compositions.
9. Standerton Mills
Standerton Mills is a traditional textile mill which manufactures woven and synthetic yarns, and woven industrial fabrics. Their products portfolio covers cotton yarn to be used in craft market, synthetic yarn, and finished woven fabrics used in furniture or industry purposes. Their presence in the South African textile industry is long-established, which speaks of their dedication to catering to the civilian garment industry, as well as more technical or industrial fabrics. The combined system offered by Standerton offers a solid base to establish long-term relationships, particularly with manufacturers that appreciate local procurement, consistent stock and familiar quality indicators.
10. GKM Silverguard / Silverguard Textiles.
GKM Silverguard (since renamed Silverguard Textile) has established itself as a market leader in the supply of antimicrobial and protective fabrics to the health care, hospitality and institutional markets in South Africa. They are authorized to make high-tech antimicrobial fabrics created by Noble Biomaterials, to weave and finish woven and coated fabrics including PPE, drapery, gowns, and corporate utility wear. They also have fabric engineering, which is durable, hygienic, and bacterial managing, and this aspect makes them particularly applicable in industries that require high-performance and hygienic textiles. Their availability contributes to sealing a crucial gap in the domestic market, specifically, to healthcare and high-protection uses.
Top 10 fabric suppliers in South Africa – Comparative Insights
| Supplier | Year Founded / Established | Location | Key Fabrics | Approx. Employees | Key Differentiator |
| Da Gama Textiles (Good Hope Textile Corporation) | 1946 | Zwelitsha, Eastern Cape | Shweshwe, cotton, poly/cotton, technical, medical | ~580 | Iconic Shweshwe + vertical integration across spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing, finishing |
| Svenmill (Sven Textile Mills) | 1958 | Cape Town | Curtains, upholstery, warp-knitted high-performance, protective fabrics | ~250 | Wide technical fabric range, sustainable production practices |
| Aranda Textile Mills | 1953 | Randfontein, Gauteng | Blankets, throws, fiberglass mesh | ~630 | Heritage blankets + industrial textile division |
| Helm Textile Mills | 1992 | Johannesburg | Contract textiles, domestic décor fabrics, automotive fabrics, outdoor performance fabrics | ~400 | Multi-market fabric solutions + custom finishes + eco-friendly practices |
| JMV Textiles (Pty) Ltd | 1970s | Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal | Circular knitted fabrics, cotton, poly-cotton, viscose blends | ~350 | Vertically integrated knit production + in-house design & lab testing |
| Millar Textiles | 1990 | Cape Town & Johannesburg | Apparel fabrics, corporate uniforms, medical/scrub fabrics, home textiles | ~300 | Full-service distributor + PFD/PFP fabrics + swatch services |
| Ninian & Lester Group | 1960s | Durban | Circular knits, polypropylene yarn, masterbatch | ~800 | Integrated knit textile + garment operations |
| Yarntex (Pty) Ltd | 1980s | KwaZulu-Natal | Wool, viscose, synthetic, blended yarns | ~245 | Upstream yarn production + dyed yarn supply for mills |
| Standerton Mills | 1960s | Standerton, Mpumalanga | Cotton yarn, synthetic yarn, industrial woven fabrics | ~500 | Versatile mill for industrial and decorative fabrics |
| GKM Silverguard / Silverguard Textiles | 2000s | Durban | Antimicrobial fabrics, PPE, drapery, gowns, utility wear | ~300 | Advanced antimicrobial & protective textiles for healthcare and institutional markets |
SJZ Fabric – Premium Textile Solutions for Global Brands
SJZ Fabric, which has headquarters in Dongguan, China, was founded in 1992 and is one of the most successful textile manufacturers in the country, which supplies its customers worldwide with quality fabrics under their brands. The firm has a large plant (390,000m2) and a staff of more than 155 experienced craftsmen, with decades of experience in the industry. SJZ Fabric is an exporting company of fabric to over 35 countries with annual sales of over 100 million RMB with increasing focus on the South Africa market.
The company manufactures more than 40 varieties of fabrics such as cotton, silk, linen, organza, chiffon, and synthetic blends, integrating the traditional craftsmanship with the modern textile innovation. Each batch passes through intense multi-stage quality inspections, guaranteeing high tensile strength, colorfastness and breathability. SJZ Fabric also offers free testing on texture, color accuracy, stretchability, and shrinkage which assists clients to make informed sourcing decisions.
SJZ Fabric provides convenient and efficient worldwide delivery services such as express, LCL, FCL, sea and air freights. The company has earned the reputation of being a reliable partner to brands that need long-lasting, sustainable, and customizable textiles with a three-year warranty and after-sales support.
How to Choose the Right Fabric Supplier in South Africa
The choice of a fabric supplier in South Africa is essential in terms of quality, consistency, and costs. As the local textile industry is experiencing the challenge of competition and diminishing capacity, collaborating with well-established mills provides uninhibited production and variety of fabrics, as well as experience that fits your business requirements.
Establish Your Cloth Needs
Determine the materials you require in business. In the case of legacy or decor textiles such as shweshwe, Da Gama Textiles is the best choice. Aranda Textile Mills is the best place to get home decor fabrics like blankets and throws. Svenmill can be used to provide technical or high-performance fabrics, whereas Ninian and Lester or JMV Textiles are appropriate when it comes to circular knits and apparel-grade fabrics.
Production Capacity and Lead Times
Big mills such as Da Gama are able to process big volume orders effectively, but small or niche suppliers might provide niche fabrics with longer lead times. Knowledge of production capacity would give you confidence that your supplier can deliver your timelines and order quantities as expected.
Assess Quality Control and Testing
Select suppliers that have their own lab and strong quality controls. Major mills such as Da Gama, Svenmill and Aranda have rigorous testing measures on colorfastness, strength and shrinkage, which provide reliable and high quality fabrics.
Review Sustainability and Certifications
Think of the mills, which use recycled or locally produced materials and have Sustainability certifications, such as ISO or Oeko-Tex. Sustainable suppliers, such as Svenmill and Da Gama, help to achieve environmental responsibility and ESG objectives.
Evaluate Supply Chain Integration
The vertically integrated mills offer quality assurance, pricing stability and provision of custom orders. Smaller or mixed orders receive flexible fulfillment and fast delivery through distributors such as Millar Textiles.
Consider Social Impact and References
Local sourcing helps in job creation and skills building. Check the records of suppliers, order samples and confirm test results to achieve quality and reliability in long term cooperation.
Benefits of Working with Established Fabric Suppliers in South Africa
- Reliability & Consistency: The suppliers are established, they have a stable operation, experienced employees, and proven production processes – they will not change quality variation a lot.
- Local Supply Chain Advantage: Local operation minimizes lead time, importation expenses, and threats of interruption of international shipping.
- Customization Facilities: Vertically integrated firms (spinning, weaving, finishing) are able to favor custom orders.
- Sustainability & Traceability: Numerous local suppliers are moving towards sustainability (e.g. recycled materials, local sourcing) – assisting brands in achieving ESG objectives.
- Social Impact: When you source locally, you are helping communities by providing them with jobs, training, and economic stability.
- Technical Knowhow: Your suppliers such as SJZ fabric sell high-spec fabrics, not merely commodity cotton – you can be innovative with workwear or performance fabrics or industrial fabrics.
Conclusion
With the selection of the appropriate fabric supplier in South Africa, it is possible to guarantee quality materials, reliable lead times, and a significant influence on the local industry. The 10 leading fabric vendors featured here such as Da Gama, Svenmill, Aranda, Millar and GKM have a wide range of capabilities: use of traditional fabrics and blankets, performance fabrics, technical fabrics, and knit fabrics.
In assessing the potential partners, match your fabric requirements with what a supplier specializes in doing. In your decision making, consider capacity, quality systems, sustainability and social value. South African mills have long been known to provide more than mere manufacturing power; their offerings also include adaptability, creativity, and social benefit that is becoming a requirement of modern textile enterprises.
Making a better choice will not only mean that you are not merely sourcing fabric, you are also investing in local skills, strong supply chains, and a future where textiles of quality are produced right here in South Africa.
