Just under 75 million m 2 of furnishing, mattress ticking, curtain and lining fabrics were produced in SADC in 1999, with South Africa accounting for the bulk of the volumes. 2 of sheeting fabrics were produced in the region in 1999. Zimbabwe recorded the highest growth rate in the region in this sector in 1999. These volumes still exclude baby, airline, electric and non-woven blankets. A total of 80.7 million towels were produced, with face cloths representing the largest share.
Production takes place in Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Carpet imports exceeded exports. In total, almost 520 million bags, FIBC s and knit pockets were produced in the region. In terms of volumes, the most widely used yarns were CF Polyester, followed by PP CF, PP tape and carded cotton. 14.3 Hose The hose manufacturing industry used approximately 500 tons of yarn. 14.7 Coating Coated fabric production was 23 million m 2 in 1999, with production facilities restricted to South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.