Made in Africa · Since 1990
36 years of craft,
woven into every thread
Our Story
From humble beginnings to Southern Africa's largest towel maker.
Founded in 1990 in Francistown, Botswana by Mukesh Josh, Nortex started with one conviction: quality and honesty should never be a luxury.
What started as a wholesale supplier to the hospitality industry grew through decades of discipline into the continent's most trusted towel manufacturer, employing over 500 people.
“We started from humble beginnings and built a reputation for technical excellence, ethical standards, and reliability.”
Mukesh Josh – Founder & Managing Director
Our Quality
What makes a Nortex towel
100% African cotton
Naturally soft, highly absorbent, grown close to home. No imported synthetics, no performance-killing blends.
Direct from the mill
No middlemen. You buy directly from the manufacturer — with full transparency on what you're getting and why it costs what it does.
Hotel-tested durability
Built to withstand 300+ commercial washes and still maintain pile height, colour, and absorbency. The same standard trusted by 5-star properties.
Certified & ethical
SABS ISO 9001:2015 certified. Safe working conditions, responsible sourcing, and a supply chain we can account for at every link.
Trusted by the best
If it's good enough for 5 stars, it's good enough for your home
For decades our towels have been the quiet luxury behind some of Africa’s finest hotel experiences. Our clients demand consistency, durability, and quality and they’ve kept coming back. Now that same standard lives in your bathroom.
Our Journey
Three decades of craft
Building Southern Africa's most trusted textile mill wasn't fast. It was deliberate — one decision at a time.
1990 Foundation
Founded in Francistown
Mukesh Josh establishes Northern Textile Mills in Botswana's industrial heartland, armed with a UK textile qualification and a single-minded focus on quality.
1990s Growth
Hospitality partnerships
Nortex becomes the go-to supplier for 5-star hotel groups across Southern Africa. Consistency and reliability build a word-of-mouth reputation that no marketing budget could buy.
2000s Scale
Largest in Southern Africa
Significant investment in production capacity and machinery cements Nortex's position as the region's leading towel manufacturer, supplying hotels, resorts, and institutional buyers continent-wide.
2015 Certification
SABS ISO 9001:2015 certified
Quality formally benchmarked against the highest international standards. A milestone that formalised what the business had always practiced.
2026 E-Commerce
Launch of our direct to consumer e-commerce palatform www.nortex.africa —
After 35 years of supplying to hotels and wholesalers, now they are available for you - delivered to your door.