Entrepreneurs within the fashion and craft industries along Jamaica’s North Coast are set to benefit from a boost in textile production targeting the tourism market as the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) continues its push towards a textile cottage industry. Riding on the growing momentum of its tie-dye/batik brand, Jadire´ which has impacted more than 100 persons in Kingston, some of whom are now on the market, the agency now heads to Ocho Rios and Montego Bay in March 2025 in search of more success stories.
Robert Hall, Fashion Designer at the JBDC, asserts, “People are still looking for the authentic, even amidst the mass-produced items flooding the market.” Jadire´ offers a solution to this demand, allowing artisans to create and brand products that are truly Jamaican.The JBDC has a vision of tourists wearing a piece of fabric that tells the story of Jamaica’s rich African heritage and vibrant culture.
That’s the promise of Jadire´, a new textile technique blending centuries-old traditions with modern fashion to create something uniquely Jamaican.
Jadire´ is an African-Jamaican batik technique born out of a bilateral agreement between the Nigerian High Commission and the Government of Jamaica in 2018. The word Jadire´ is coined from combining ‘Jamaica’ with the Yoruba word ‘’Adire’’ meaning ‘tie and dye’, an indigo-dyed cloth made from southwest Nigeria by Yoruba women using a variety of resist-dyeing techniques.
This technique, now being passed on to Jamaica’s next generation of artisans, is gaining traction. The JBDC, as a key player in the development of the tourism-craft value chain, has trained over 200 artisans in Jadire´ at its Incubator & Resource Centre in Kingston: the creative output between its Craft and Fashion Incubator spaces. In the most recent collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport, 124 additional artisans were trained. Several of these artisans have since successfully commercialised their products.
Looking beyond the traditional fashion pieces like t-shirts revered by global enthusiasts, Jadire´ presents a unique opportunity to expand the textiles industry and reach of ‘Brand Jamaica’ fashion using the strength of the tourism-craft value chain. By diversifying Jamaican-made products within the tourism-craft value chain through innovation in fashion, Jamaica can create a stronger, more sustainable economic footprint. The Government of Jamaica (GOJ), recognising the importance of the craft industry, particularly its direct connection to revenue-rich sectors like tourism, has made significant strides for the development of this value chain with the development of the National Craft Policy (2017).
Jadire’s beauty lies in its ability to merge African heritage with Jamaican identity. By using symbols of cultural significance, such as motifs inspired by the national fruit—the ackee, which was brought to Jamaica from Africa via the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade—artisans transform plain cloth into vibrant, culturally rich fabrics. These fabrics tell the story of Jamaica’s history and its enduring connection to Africa.
Weaving Fashion into the Tourism Craft
Colin Porter, Technical Services Manager at the JBDC, highlights the broader opportunity: “Tourists who visit want to have locally made products, souvenirs they can take home and see. So, in that value chain, you have a wide range of people and inputs, from craft producers to textile designers to those who create products. You also have the retail outlets – like souvenir shops and craft markets – that help bring these products to the tourists.”
He explains that the Jadire´ technique can invigorate this chain by offering more diversity and authenticity in Jamaican textiles. “We want to offer a more modern, diverse representation of Jamaica, beyond the stereotypical red, green and gold t-shirt. The fabrics used for Jadire´ are hand-printed, making them unique and appealing to both local markets and tourists.”
By weaving Jadire´ into the tourism-craft value chain, Jamaica not only strengthens its cultural fabric but also creates a vibrant sector with the power to drive economic growth.
“There’s a whole mystique around Jamaica as an entity. Say Hawaii, you think about that mystique…the flowers, the coconut. It’s the same kind of mystique around Jamaica. The whole reggae direction, etcetera. You know, the association with Jamaica has just been this tropical paradise. The dominance of our athletes…the music, you know. That wider culture footprint makes us something that when people come in, they want to definitely be immersed in the whole space. They really want to be a part of that story,” emphasised the Fashion Designer.
The textiles industry, fuelled by innovation and grounded in tradition, represents a golden opportunity.
With a Craft Incubator which facilitates the making of Jadire and a Fashion Incubator which sees the transformation of the Jadire into wearable pieces, the agency is pushing the value chain strategy to create a sustainable market for high quality Jamaican products.
The fashion potential of Jadire was showcased during the JBDC’s Jadire Buying Event and Showcase on June 16, 2023, where artisans trained in the technique collaborated with local fashion designers to create a stunning collection of evening dresses, bags, footwear, jewellery, and more.
The event, which drew invited buyers, highlighted the clear demand for authentic Jamaican fashion, with feedback from the attendees affirming the market potential.
In November 2023, the agency once again put Jadire on show in a fashion showcase during its celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). Under the guidance of product development experts at JBDC, local fashion designers revealed stunning pieces which put a contemporary twist on the wearing of tie-dye/batik.
Staying true to its mantra, ‘From Concept to Market’, the JBDC will host a Jadire´ Batik Painting Techniques Workshop series in Jamaica’s tourism hubs: Montego Bay, St. James on March 12 and Ocho Rios, St. Ann on March 26. These workshops will give artisans the opportunity to develop innovative products that appeal to visitors and tourists eager for a genuine Jamaican experience.
“We are bringing the Jadire´ technique closer to the tourism market and give the opportunity for producers to create new and innovative products that will satisfy that type of clientele,” Colin Porter, Manager of the Technical Services Unit at the JBDC.
Targeting Artisans, Fashion & Interior designers, Craft Producers and other entrepreneurs, the agency will train them to comfortably design fabrics, create Jadire´ batik fabric/products for sale and innovate Jadire products or add the technique to an existing product.
The JBDC seeks to strengthen the craft value chain and create a sustainable market for high quality Jamaican products. By focusing on the entire value chain, the JBDC is empowering local producers to not only create culturally relevant products but also to enhance their marketability and profitability.
Interested persons are invited to register by sending an email to or visit the agency’s’ website at www.jbdc.net for more information on this initiative and other related business development services.
