Phumza, the co- founder and CEO of Afro Apparel, has more than 17 years of experience in the fashion, clothing and textile industry, both as an academic and a professional consultant. In her specialist field of jeans development, she is an accomplished researcher and technologist who has worked with South Africa’s fastest growing retailers.

Afro Apparel Manufacturers is a 51% female, black-owned jeans manufacturer based in Isithebe, Mandeni – specializing in fashion jeans for the triangular shaped female body. The business strives to become the largest jeans manufacturer in KZN through the strengthening and broadening its partnership with retailers across the continent.

Phumza is currently studying towards her PhD in Philosophy (Apparel Design) at the Cornell University in the USA, focusing on integrating 3D scanned size data into virtual fit simulation for pear-shaped woman.