About the Ethical Fashion Initiative
The Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) is a programme of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
Its mission is to promote sustainable and inclusive development in emerging economies through increased trade and employment in the creative and cultural industries, fashion and textiles.
Since its founding in 2009 by Simone Cipriani, EFI has worked with countless designers, artisans and entrepreneurs, and with dozens of global brands and institutions in the fashion and other creative industries.
In recent years social and environmental sustainability has risen to the top of the agenda and EFI is a leading voice in promoting sustainability and good governance the fashion industry.
What we do
Production
EFI manages a structured network of social enterprises coordinating the work of artisans from the global South to produce for luxury clients worldwide.
Partner social enterprises, Tujikuze (Kenya), Studio 4 (Côte d’Ivoire), Artisan Fashion (Kenya), CABES (Burkina Faso), IkatUz (Uzbekistan), Koyibaton (Mali) and Ozara (Tajikistan) manage regional hubs to assist artisans and small producers with production, trade and logistics. With EFI support, they help build stronger communities and bring exquisite, handcrafted products to appreciative international markets.
Accelerator
The Accelerator is one of EFI’s most successful recent ventures. The Accelerator team scours Africa and Asia for young, dynamic fashion and homeware brands with good commercial potential.
Local and international mentors work with designers and entrepreneurs to harness their creative and productive capacities and develop exciting new collections.
EFI then activates its commercial network to bring the products to the attention of global brands and markets.
Social and environmental sustainability
Social sustainability has always been at the heart of EFI activities. International markets are Increasingly concerned with environmental sustainability, too.
In managing complex and impact-focused supply chains, EFI draws on its expertise to offer a sustainable path for the wider fashion industry. Its environmental, social and governance (ESG) due diligence framework is a tool to assess risk in supply chains and prevent, reduce, and mitigate it.
Developed in partnership with Camera della Moda, the tool has been shared with the European Commission in the light of the new EU Directive on Corporate Sustainability Reporting.
Sustainable Development Goals
EFI helps create long-term, dignified jobs for women and men in disadvantaged communities in Africa and Central Asia, directly contributing to Sustainable Development Goals 1, 5, 8, 10, 12 and 13, and indirectly to SDG’s 16 and 17.
Brands and institutional partners
Our industry partners
EFI has an established network of global fashion and homeware brands, major distributors and key industry players.
