Textile Ethical Fashion, Ghana

The objective of this project is to develop the value chain between the suppliers (communities in GhaThis international network will be used to create market access for producers in Ghana and its communities).

Ghana will also serve as a hub for the transformation of inputs (traditional fabrics out of organic and fair trade cotton) supplied from the State Secretariat for economic affairs supported organic and fair trade cotton programme in Burkina Faso and Mali, together with local service providers, works with small communities and with the informal sector to encourage them to work together to establish linkages with the local formal economy.

This international network will be used to create market access for producers in Ghana and its communities. Ghana will also serve as a hub for the transformation of inputs (traditional fabrics out of organic and fair trade cotton) supplied from the State Secretariat for economic affairs supported organic and fair trade cotton programme in Burkina Faso and Mali, together with local service providers, works with small communities and with the informal sector to encourage them to work together to establish linkages with the local formal economy.

Immediate Outcome 1 (demand side): Sustainable exports of at least 150’000 ethical fashion & lifestyle pieces that involve the work of micro-entrepreneurs - particularly women - and designers from at least 20 communities in Ghana made possible through the direct engagement of 3 international fashion companies and 3 large distributors of consumers based in Europe, USA and Japan.

Immediate Outcome 2 (supply side): Establishment of supply capacity, regular supply of products for the ethical fashion and lifestyle market.

Immediate Outcome 3: Implementation of clear agendas on fair labour practices and intellectual property rights (IPRs) within institutional stakeholders of the countries. Synergies with the current IPR project financed by SECO in Ghana. A clear link will be made to the SECO-funded SCORE programme.

The ITC project is also undertaken with the partners of the ethical fashion project, namely ecos / Greenfashion and ICVolunteers.

Expected results:  

Kew Outputs foreseen under Outcome 1:

Selection of designers out of Ghana responding to the demand of the buyers.

Participation in competitions promoting designers of Ghana.

Development of collections in Ghana to be showcased in Europe.

Creation of a community of web users able to communicate the potential of Ghana.

Key Outputs foreseen under Outcome 2:

Selection of consultants to be hired in each country.

Assessment of the communities and micro-producers on the basis of their capacities as regards management, team working, planning and organization of production.

Selection of communities to be involved in the project.

Design of collection for capacity building.

Deliver capacity building and technical assistance.

Selection of private business intermediaries and identification of linkages of communities with the formal sector in order to gain structured access to the domestic market.

Establishment of linkages of communities to the international buyers.

Results from previous phases:  

This is the first phase of the project. An external evaluation was undertaken in 2015.

Phase 1 25.07.2011 - 31.12.2015   (Completed)