OMM Newsroom
Uzbekistan is opening a new fashion academy in Tashkent to help clothing manufacturers create their own brands, develop design skills and compete in international markets, AnewZ reports.
The Tashkent International Fashion Academy will operate on the site of the closed Korea-Uzbekistan Textile Technopark.
The state institution, established by a presidential decree signed on October 16, will be based on a joint education program run by the Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry and the International Academy of Cutting in Paris. Students currently enrolled in the program will transfer to the new academy to complete their studies.
The academy plans to offer bachelor’s and master’s programs in fashion design and related fields, as well as joint programs with universities in Europe and Türkiye. It will also accept international students.
Classes are scheduled to begin in the 2026–2027 academic year. Alongside training future designers, the academy will produce clothing for government agencies.
From the next academic year, clothing manufacturers will be able to commission training programs tailored to their needs. Under the proposed model, students will spend at least 30% of their time at the academy and gain practical experience at textile factories during the rest.
From manufacturing to fashion brands
Uzbekistan has long produced clothing for international customers, but its local fashion brands have struggled to gain recognition abroad. The new academy aims to help manufacturers move from sewing garments for other companies to building their own brands.
By combining vocational education with practical industry experience, the institution will support aspiring designers in turning creative ideas into commercially viable collections and sustainable businesses.
Textile exports rise
The initiative comes as Uzbekistan’s textile exports are growing. The country exported $2.6 billion worth of textile products in 2025. In the first eight months of 2026, exports rose 26.9% from the same period a year earlier to $2.1 billion. Finished textile products accounted for 51% of total exports.
Uzbekistan’s textile industry previously faced restrictions on access to Western markets after an international boycott of the country’s cotton over concerns about forced labor.
In 2022, the Cotton Campaign coalition ended the boycott after independent monitoring found no state-imposed systematic forced labor during the 2021 cotton harvest.
The decision opened opportunities for new international partnerships, expanding Uzbek manufacturers’ ability to work with global companies and access foreign markets.
