Industry

Lesotho Textile Workers Protest Job Losses As U.S. Tariffs Bite

Textile Insights November 6, 2025

Hundreds of textile workers took to the streets of Maseru on October 31, demanding urgent government action to protect jobs amid crippling U.S. tariffs and the expiry of a key trade deal. Around 400 demonstrators, organized by six major trade unions, marched through the capital waving flags and

Industry

Lesotho’s Textile Sector Collapses Under Weight Of U.S. Tariffs

Textile Insights September 9, 2025

Lesotho’s textile industry, the country’s largest private employer and a pillar of its economy, is reeling from sweeping U.S. tariffs that have triggered mass layoffs, shut down factories and shaken one of Africa’s most vulnerable nations. The tariffs, introduced in April under U.S. President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal trade” policy, imposed levies of up to 50 […]

Industry

Lesotho Faces Jobs Crisis As US Tariff Fears Grow

Textile Insights July 10, 2025

Lesotho has declared a national state of disaster due to “high rates of youth unemployment and job losses,” as the country grapples with uncertainty surrounding US tariffs and trade policies. The declaration, effective until 30 June 2027, enables the government to take emergency measures under the Disaster Management Act to mitigate the economic fallout,

Industry

Lesotho Promotes Ethical Manufacturing To Revive Textile Sector

Textile Insights April 24, 2025

The Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC), in partnership with the Competitiveness and Financial Inclusion (CAFI) project, hosted a two-day WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) Technical Training to promote ethical and sustainable practices in the country’s struggling textile and apparel industry. Held at Avani Maseru, the training was led by WRAP

Industry

Lesotho Textile Industry Faces Job Losses, Prioritizes Ethical Standards

June 19, 2024

Lesotho’s textile and apparel industry has faced a stark decline, shedding nearly 16,000 jobs from March 2018 to March 2024, as highlighted during a workshop convened by the Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC). Puseletso Makhakhe, LNDC’s Corporate Investment and Trade Promotion General Manager, outlined the sector’s challenges, citing reduced