The disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic on global value chains and its impact on African businesses is already evident. As factories close their doors and border closures and travel restrictions interrupt supply chains, the workers – the most vulnerable and lowest paid people in the fashion supply chain – have been left to feel the worst effects.
Building more resilient value chains through innovative business models that will keep garments in use longer, use renewable materials and recycle old clothes into new products, was the focus of discussions during the second webinar event organised 3 September, by the African Development Bank’s Fashionomics Africa initiative in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme with 88 people in attendance.
The panel was comprised of industry experts from Parsons School of Design in New-York, the United Kingdom-based charity – Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the creative minds behind sustainable African fashion brands, Orange Culture, Mariama Fashion Production and Qaaldesigns.
“My dream is to develop a healthy fashion industry in Africa. We need to be able to rely on and build ourselves from our own system. At the end of the day, we have so much that needs to be done and we can’t do it alone,” Orange Culture Adebayo Oke-Lawal, said.
Also commenting on the event was Brendan McCarthy of Parsons School of Design, said, “COVID-19 forced our world to rethink our system. We can absolutely do this in an excellent way. It’s a question of interconnection and understanding. My waste could be someone else’s resources. What is needed is collaboration and breaking down the typical silos fashionpreneurs face in the industry.”
The goal of the bank’s Fashionomics Africa platform is to enable African entrepreneurs operating in the textile, apparel and accessories industry to create and grow their businesses, with a focus on women and youth.
Through the Fashionomics Africa Digital Marketplace and Mobile App, the bank is also analysing the impact of the textile sector on climate change and the environment to deploy climate-friendly solutions in Africa.
McCarthy, who said digital tools had become a phenomenon and have revolutionised the way the fashion industry works, noted that Parsons was working closely with AfDB to leverage digital tools to support the African textile and fashion industry.
“African fashion entrepreneurs see in the pandemic and the acceleration of digital tools, an opportunity to re-conceptualise and better educate designers, but also consumers,” said Bintou Sadio Diallo, who spoke on behalf of AfDB.
