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In 2017, Chy Onwuka quit her banking job to start Fabrics.NG, a tech start-up focused on making quality fabric sourcing easier and accessible for businesses and creative individuals.
Chy was inspired to establish her business owing to the constant frustration experienced when shopping for fabrics.
She was prompted to set up a tech market platform where people can source and shop for fabrics and get them delivered to their choice locations.
“As a young female professional, the idea came after being constantly frustrated whenever I had to shop for fabrics or the popular asoebi,” she says.
“It was unbelievable that for a fashion-conscious nation such as Nigeria, there is no organised infrastructure for fabric sourcing and distribution. America alone has hundreds of structured online fabric stores,” she further says.
She adds that the markets for shopping fabrics in the country are disorganised with quality inconsistency and pricing issues stressful.
To change it for others, she established Fabrics.NG in 2017 to design a structured online fabric marketplace where all types of fabrics are being sold.
“Basically, Fabrics.NG is an ‘Amazon’ for fabrics. The idea is that within five minutes, you can find and order the fabric you need,” she discloses.
“We have 1000+ fabrics and up to 100 new fabric designs uploaded weekly. Fabric sourcing is now truly efficient and delivery is available worldwide,” she states.
The banker-turned-entrepreneur started her business small from her personal savings, from family and friends.
The business has expanded since starting and has continued to grow its return on equity consistently. “Our growth & performance indicators are positive. Though we don’t currently share our figures publicly, we have done double digits in asset turnover ratio and consistently grown our return on equity,” she says.
Onwuka tells Start-Up-Digest that Fabrics.NG emerged winner of the 2019 African Women in Technology Pitch and is also a recipient of the 2018 She Leads Africa Accelerator programme.
The business currently has over four full-time employees. “Our team is made up of a senior management team of four and several other junior level skilled & competent employees.”
The young entrepreneur says that she has a network of wholesale textile suppliers where she sources her raw materials from both locally and internationally.
Speaking on what the Fabrics.NG is doing differently to remain in business, she says that the business is seeking collaboration with existing fashion brands across the country and continent.
“The bulk of our customers currently are fashion brands and apparel companies. Although we have other industries such as furniture & interiors, which source their textiles needed for production from us, our major focus is on the fashion industry,” she says.
In evaluating the Nigerian fashion industry, she points out that despite the increase in global interest and demand for African textile, there is a need to address the numerous challenges in the industry for Nigeria to fully harness its potential.
Answering questions on the business expansion plans, she says Farbrics.NG plans to scale up its operation and fully integrate into textile production in the long run.
In the short run, the business plans to expand its product offerings and launch its digital printing unit to make it possible for designers to customise their own unique prints, she says.
On the challenges limiting the business, the young entrepreneur says that huge infrastructural gaps have remained the major challenge facing the business.
She calls on the Federal Government to provide the needed infrastructure for businesses to thrive.
On her advice to other entrepreneurs, she saya, “Build for the market.That disruptive idea might not be the solution your customers need at the moment. Listen and understand your customers’ needs.”
Josephine Okojie
