Two of Ghana’s best-known textile brands are coming back under local ownership. Olive Africa Partners Fashions, a company owned entirely by Ghanaians, has bought the shares that Dutch firm Vlisco held in TexStyles Ghana Limited.

The deal covers the GTP and Woodin brands that have been part of everyday life and special occasions across the country for decades.

Olive Africa Partners Fashions, led by co-founders Kofi Kwakwa and John Gadzi, will become the main shareholder. The trademarks for GTP and Woodin are part of the package. The change still needs final regulatory checks, but both sides expect it to go through in the coming weeks.

For many Ghanaians the news feels personal. GTP fabric has been around since 1966, when the Ghana Textiles Printing Company was set up with the support of the first president, Kwame Nkrumah. The bright, patterned cloth has been used for everything from church clothes and funerals to political rallies and family celebrations. Woodin, the more contemporary sister brand, has found its own following among younger buyers looking for modern prints.

Kofi Kwakwa, who chairs the new ownership company, spoke about his own link to the business. “My connection to this business goes back many years as a Ghanaian child who watched his mother trade in GTP fabric to support her family,” he said. He called the purchase both a personal milestone and a chance to invest in the future of the industry.

He and Gadzi said they feel honoured to take on the responsibility of looking after brands that mean so much to people.

Vlisco, the Dutch company that has controlled the brands for years, welcomed the move. Chief executive Perry Oosting said TexStyles Ghana and its labels are deeply tied to the cultural and textile heritage of Ghana and West Africa.

He expressed confidence that the new Ghanaian owners understand the business and its potential.

Importantly, day-to-day operations will not change overnight. TexStyles Ghana will keep its current management team. The company has said this should give comfort to workers, distributors, retailers and customers.

Production will stay in Ghana and the fabrics will continue to reach shops and markets across the country and neighbouring West African nations through the same channels.

Strain on the Textile Sector

The textile sector in Ghana has seen tough times. Cheap imports, high production costs and competition from other countries have put pressure on local mills for years. Bringing these two well-known brands fully under Ghanaian control is being watched as a possible sign of renewed interest in the industry.

The new owners have talked about combining long-term local ownership with better governance and fresh investment. They want to grow the business both at home and in other African markets.

GTP and Woodin have always occupied a special place. The designs are instantly recognisable. Women still choose GTP for important events, and the cloth often carries family stories. Many people remember their mothers or grandmothers selling the fabric in the market or sewing it into dresses and shirts.

That everyday connection is part of what makes the ownership change stand out.

The factory in Tema has been producing the cloth for a long time. While the parent company was Dutch, the actual design and printing work has been done in Ghana. Design teams on the ground have shaped the patterns that end up on the market.

Keeping that local knowledge and the jobs that go with it was clearly a priority in the talks.

No financial details of the sale have been made public. What is clear is the intention behind it. Olive Africa Partners Fashions is presenting the deal as more than a simple business transaction.

The founders want to build on the existing reputation of the brands while putting Ghanaian hands firmly on the steering wheel.

For now the focus is on a smooth handover. Workers will keep their roles. Customers should see the same fabrics in the same shops. Distributors who have worked with the company for years will continue as before.

The new owners say they are excited about the next chapter and the chance to protect and grow something that already means a great deal to many people.

In a country where fabric is more than clothing, the return of GTP and Woodin to full Ghanaian ownership carries weight. It closes one chapter of foreign control and opens another that the new investors hope will keep the colours and patterns of these brands alive for the next generation.