BLACK PRIDE is turning into big business.
DAILY NATION investigations have revealed that Africa Awareness Month held annually in February is not only enlightening black Barbadians about their ethnic heritage, but is proving a major fillip for garment stores and seamstresses in a traditionally slow period.
The two principal stores that sell fabric with African prints, Sewing World Department Store and Abeds, reported strong sales that continue to grow as the month has become more widely celebrated by schools.
Three seamstresses also related a similar story with one reporting that she got more work for the month-long celebrations than she did for Christmas.
“We did reasonably well,” said Andy Toppin, managing director of Sewing World about sales this year.
