By Regina Simasiku
WINDHOEK- The first day at school means a new year has started and for many it means a new school while for others it means new school uniforms. What is different at the start of this school year is that Namibia now boasts its own “Made in Namibia” school uniform retailer, situated in Windhoek’s Town Square Centre.
Schooltex & Sportswear just opened and it is booming with school uniforms from shirts to skirts, shorts and-shoes – these are all Namibian products. The Schooltex & Sportswear shop targets sports lovers and school learners.
“We have most of the schools uniforms, high schools and primary schools, and by the middle of the year we are going to cater for all the schools in Namibia,’’ said Beauty Mathupi, owner of Schooltex & Sportswear. She added that prices for uniforms range from N$45 to N$175.
Mathupi decided to start with school uniforms to help parents get the uniforms cheaper, hence enable every Namibian child to be dressed in their school colours.
Schooltex & Sportswear shop was opened on November 17, 2014, by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Calle Schlettwein.
“Motivation for opening this shop was job creation and the industrialisation of the garment sector by producing our own products in Namibia to enable ‘growth at home’,” noted Mathupi.
She urged all Namibians to support the shop because she promotes local Namibian products. “It is time to buy our own products and we should be proud to wear clothes that are made by Namibians, for Namibians,” she said.
One of the shop’s main targets is sport organisations, as they offer a range of sportswear from different schools.
They also stock shirts, trousers and dresses in a range of colours.
“The shop is doing well and customers are responding well and they like the materials, especially this month whereby people are preparing their children for school we are receiving a lot of customers,’’ remarked Mathupi.
Schooltex & Sportswear designs their own uniforms and have production centres in Swakopmund and Windhoek. According to Mathupi, Schooltex & Sportswear aims to set up bases in every town in Namibia.
“We want to see ourselves helping in reducing the importation of garment products and creating more jobs. There are many people that need jobs in our country,” concluded Mathupi.