What we do
How we work
Stories and News
What we do
How we work
Stories and News
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
What we work
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
How we work
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
Stories and News
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
ITC website
ITC TOOLS
Founded in 2006, ETD brings together artisans committed to preserving the craft of lokpa, an intricate openwork fabric and a treasured part of Benin’s textile heritage. But ETD’s mission goes beyond fabric. The cooperative is dedicated to passing ancestral know-how to younger generations, especially rural girls who are out of school or who have faced forced marriage. By equipping them with skills and confidence, ETD empowers women to become both economically independent and socially resilient.
Since 2021, ETD has been a key partner in the EU-OACPS Business-Friendly Programme’s artisanal component. Through this collaboration, production capacity has grown, and market access for local producers has expanded. Today, the programme supports 508 beneficiaries across Benin, working through 18 cooperatives and 14 fashion brands – strengthening every stage of the organic cotton value chain, from farming and spinning to dyeing, weaving, and design.
One of the most tangible changes has been the introduction of quality control, a new concept for ETD. Artisans now understand the importance of delivering fabrics that consistently meet customer expectations, transforming their approach to production and professionalism. Alongside this, technical training and management workshops have helped strengthen the cooperative.
New equipment – including two- and four-pedal looms, Indian spinning wheels, and fully outfitted dyeing facilities – has given artisans the tools to scale up their work while maintaining authenticity.
The impact of these changes is best captured through the story of Taïrou Issa Déhanatou, president of ETD and an accomplished weaver. For her, weaving is not simply a profession but a lifelong passion and family tradition – so central to her identity that she describes it as part of her being.
“Thanks to weaving, I’ve left my town, even my country. I’ve been to Italy, to Switzerland… and I never went to university! Weaving is my university. I make a living from this,” she says proudly.
Her journey illustrates how craft can open doors. International recognition, financial independence, and the ability to train others have all flowed from her commitment. Today, she devotes much of her energy to mentoring young rural girls, guiding them to build lives of autonomy and dignity.
Déhanatou often speaks directly to women about the importance of empowerment and lifelong learning: “Don’t wait for husbands to do everything for you. Improve what you’ve learned with me, and together we can break free from poverty and secure a better future for our children.”
For ETD, the partnership with the EU-OACPS Business-Friendly Programme is a source of pride and motivation. “We are ready, especially at ETD, to continue working with the project – with intention, and with heart,” Déhanatou affirms.
Through collaborations like this, the weaving of lokpa is not only preserved as cultural heritage but also reimagined as a pathway to opportunity for hundreds of women across Benin. Tradition and transformation are being stitched together—thread by thread, loom by loom.
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The Ethical Fashion Initiative is a programme of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
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