Asamenew Arba, a weaver operating from a building housing micro enterprises near Shero Meda in northern Addis Abeba, faces severe difficulties in his trade due to the scarcity of essential imported materials like pattern threads.

He says that the absence of a proper trade centre has severely impacted his business. “There is an urgent need for direct trade connections with stakeholders,” he stated.

Asamenew recalls previous years when he had no time to rest during the Timqet (epiphany) season, with reservations pouring in from the start of January, but now his work has been “cold" in the summertime.

"I didn’t even have a time to breathe," he said of the holiday season of past years.

He says that his daily income was at least 2,000 Br five or six years ago when the currency held greater value. Now, he struggles to earn 1,000 Br per day after heavy depreciation of the Birr, hardly enough to cover his input costs. The price of one roll of coloured thread has skyrocketed from 30 Br to 300 Br. He makes around two Netelas with one roll.

The absence of inputs, including locally sourced weaving strings has affected his business.

"The materials take all the money," Asamenew laments. To make ends meet for his family of eight, he has taken on three jobs within the sector: delivery, marketing, and embroidery. While some of his colleagues have sought alternative employment, Asamenew is determined to continue his work as it is his father’s legacy.

He began weaving traditional clothes as a child under his father's guidance and has been in the trade for over 20 years. He recalls a time when a completed Netela and a traditional dress cost 200 Br, and the market was bustling with eager buyers, especially on Sundays, when the area was known as “Sunday Market”.

While they used to work from their homes, the government has since provided them space on the third floor of a building.

Asamenew claims that government promises of trade relationships have not materialised. The building he works in, which houses 43 members of the Tibeb Be’edget Weavers Association, is mostly empty, with only around 13 people actively working, some chatting among themselves, and others on their phones.

"Weaving is colonised by merchants," said Mengistu Mehari, a board member of the association. He believes that the current situation favours merchants and not the toiling manufacturers. He notes that the lack of a fair market integration leads to their handwork being sold at inflated prices, with items they sell for 5,000 Br being marked up to 80,000 Br.

Mengistu says that the weavers are struggling to survive. Adding to their struggles, the demolition of shops at Shero Meda due to the Corridor Development project has destroyed their previous market. He says, "it’s hard to compare our current work and life with the past." He affirms that the fluctuating prices and availability of imported pattern threads is another obstacle facing weavers.

Asamenew points to decreased prices with some items’ prices dropping by 50pc. The rise of printed clothing resembling traditional hand-woven clothing and the influx of imported chiffon textiles has also impacted the business. “Lack of access to finance is also a severe problem,” he said.

On the second floor of the building housing the weavers, embroiderers are diligently working, designing, sewing, and cutting, with the sounds of sewing machines filling the space.

Ermias Tomas, an embroiderer who has worked in the sector for two years, conveys the difficulties of attracting customers, noting that the internet has eased some of that burden.

“Social media is a crucial source of customers,” he said.

Like the weavers with weaving yarn, he and his colleagues face obstacles obtaining embroidery threads. Ermias observes that the market is currently slow, contrasting with previous years when orders would surge in the months leading up to the Timqet holiday, with orders picking up around 45 days in advance. Now, he says, the workplace is only busy for only a few days before the holiday.

Ermias says that machine embroidery is becoming more common than the traditional hand-made version, noting that the time and cost associated with the latter make it less appealing to customers. He states that extensive hand embroidery can take up to 20 days and cost as much as 14,000 Br, with input costs accounting for half of that amount.

“Heavy tax burden erodes my income,” he said. Ermias told Fortune that he was demanded to pay 95,000 Br by the tax authorities. To survive, he has begun to engage in chiffon work.

Seeking cheaper alternatives and owing to ever-changing fashion trends, consumers have shifted to chiffon dresses and garments made with imported and flowy light-weight and colourful fabrics.

Dawit Gebremariam, who began making chiffon dresses in Merkato six years ago, notes the growing market. He says that in similarity with the traditional dress market, the chiffon sector also picks up a month before Timqet. To properly fulfil orders, Dawit stops taking orders two weeks before the holiday.

Chiffon garments are sold for 2,500 Br to 4,000 Br in Merkato, with the raw fabric going for between 300 Br to 400 Br per metre. Dawit states that customers often purchase chiffon in groups of five or 10 or even up to 30 for the holidays. With a production time of about two weeks.