African wax: complex market between Vlisco (Netherlands, 15% share leader), Hitarget (China, 50%), ABC Wax, Akosombo (Ghana). But also high-end traditional fabrics: Mali bogolan, Ghana kente, Senegal basin, Burkina faso dan fani. An organized luxury marketplace would transform the industry.
TL;DR
- B2B/B2C marketplace: African weavers/producers → world designers + diaspora.
- Stack: Next.js + multi-currency + fabric traceability + high-resolution photos.
- Francophone Africa TAM: ~$800M/year. Global market: $4B.
Differentiation vs Vlisco/Hitarget
Hitarget = cheap Chinese industrial wax. Vlisco = Netherlands luxury wax. But:
- Mali Bogolan: traditional clay-dye fabric, $50M/year niche market.
- Ghana Kente: handwoven, royal prestige, $80M/year.
- Senegal Basin: damask cotton, weddings, $120M/year SN.
- Burkina Faso Dan Fani: handwoven cotton, $30M/year.
Marketplace = direct access to these rare fabrics vs intermediate resellers.
Marketplace architecture
`prisma
model FabricArtisan {
id String @id @default(cuid())
type String
speciality String[]
country String
region String
village String?
yearsExperience Int
certifications String[]
rating Float?
walletProvider String
walletNumber String
}
model FabricListing {
id String @id @default(cuid())
artisanId String
artisan FabricArtisan @relation(fields: [artisanId], references: [id])
category String
pattern String?
sizeM Float
widthCm Int
composition String
origin String
isHandmade Boolean
pricePerMeterEur Int
pricePerMeterUsd Int
pricePerMeterXof Int
images String[]
videoUrl String?
storyText String
}
`
Step 1 — luxury product page
Highlight artisan, origin, technique:
`tsx
export default async function FabricPage({ params }) {
const fabric = await getFabric(params.slug);
return (
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{fabric.pattern || fabric.category}
{fabric.origin} · {fabric.composition}
The artisan
The story
{fabric.storyText}
Specifications