Ethical Apparel Africa
Ethical Apparel Africa
Developing Africa’s untapped garment production sector for women.
BCTA MEMBERSHIP STATUS
Active
SECTOR
Services
HEADQUARTERS
United Kingdom
REGION OF INITIATIVE
Africa
SDG CONTRIBUTION
RELATED NEWS
Sourcing company Ethical Apparel Africa (EAA) joined Business Call to Action in December 2018 with a commitment to create by 2023 at 2,000 ethical manufacturing jobs, over 70% for women, develop six African-owned apparel factories in Benin and Ghana by improving workplace standards, linking them to international value chains, and investing in staff wellbeing.
As outsourcing of manufacturing rises and costs of mass-produced goods such as garments, textiles and furnishings decrease, the risk of unethical and exploitative work practices in factories increases. Many of these factories are staffed by persons in forced labour - the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that over 24 million people are currently victims of forced labour conditions. Women and girls are disproportionately affected.
With this issue gaining focus globally, EAA focuses on catalyzing a more sustainable growth path for the emerging apparel manufacturing industry in Africa, which is slated to grow rapidly. EAA aims to create ethical manufacturing jobs in West Africa while building a model of manufacturing that prioritizes both profit and people. The company’s founders Keren Pybus and Paloma Schackert met with factory owners in Ghana and Benin who were committed to their workers and communities. They decided to partner with these factories to build their capacity to export high-volume orders, increase production efficiency and create secure, safe jobs that empower, rather than detract.
EAA works with five factories in Benin and Ghana that are successfully exporting to the US and the UK mainly. In terms of export orders, the company facilitated $5 million in 2021 and aims to hit $7 million in exports in 2022.
EAA’s business model combines training, order generation, and impact through the expertise of its on-the-ground team of international and local experts. The company works to improve quality and increase efficiency of its partner factories' workforces, while supporting factory managers to meet international standards and implement beyond-compliance programmes for workers. Ethical Apparel also brings in high-volume international orders from brand partners in the US and the UK. As the export business grows, partner factories are required to reinvest a portion of profits into workforce well-being – including working towards living wages, healthcare, educational offerings and other benefits chosen by workers.
Since the beginning of its partnership with the BCTA, Ethical Apparel Africa has been looking to intensify its activities to create better work environments, stronger industries and more jobs to align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9.