Veteran Weaver Warns of Impending Collapse of Ghana’s Kente Industry

Richard Ohene Kumah, a veteran kente weaver and CEO of Ohene Kumah Enterprise, has warned that Ghana’s iconic kente industry faces a potential collapse if the government does not intervene to address critical challenges.

Speaking from his base at the National Museum of Ghana, Mr. Kumah explained that the industry is being undermined by a lack of institutional support and a decline in the number of young people interested in learning the craft.

He specifically highlighted the threat posed by cheap, mass-produced Chinese imitations which, despite being inferior in quality, are flooding the market and displacing authentic hand-woven textiles.

The master weaver, who has sustained his livelihood and educated his children through the trade for over three decades, expressed frustration over his unsuccessful attempts to secure government resources for training programs.

He maintained that with the right assistance, he could train more than 50 people annually, providing a viable solution to youth unemployment. While he noted that public interest in kente has surged, shifting the perception of the fabric from a garment reserved for royalty to a popular fashion choice for everyone, he remains concerned that without protective measures, foreign entities will ultimately reap the financial rewards of this Ghanaian cultural heritage.

By the end of 2025, the outlook for the industry has shown signs of significant improvement due to new international and local protections. The official designation of kente as a Geographical Indication in late 2025 now allows artisans to use QR-coded authentication tags to distinguish their work from foreign fakes.

This legal framework, coupled with kente’s recent inclusion on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, has revitalized interest in the craft, leading to the establishment of several new state-backed training hubs in traditional weaving communities across the Ashanti and Volta regions.