Overview

    Summary

    For the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI), lifestyle choices impact livelihoods. EFI acts as a bridge, connecting marginalized artisan communities in emerging economies with discerning global lifestyle brands, creating meaningful work and fair, decent working conditions.

     

    We develop and sustain social enterprises, designers, artisans and micro-producers in fashion, interiors and fine foods. We build on tradition, heritage and craftsmanship, and inject modern production and business practices to improve quality, consistency and productivity while leaving intact the intrinsic value of the product’s provenance. 

    Partners

    Sustainable Development Goals

    This project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals, as defined by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    Projects

    Context

    Ethical Fashion: Reshaping the Industry to Benefit the World

    A weaver at work on a Faso Danfani textile, with CABES, EFI’s social enterprise partners in Burkina Faso.
    A weaver at work on a Faso Danfani textile, with CABES, EFI’s social enterprise partners in Burkina Faso.
    © Big Style Media House

    The Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) is reshaping the fashion industry with its support for sustainable production, human rights and the reduction of poverty.

    Working at the nexus of international development, fashion and lifestyle sectors, EFI is contributing to decent work for thousands of artisans, most of them women, and connecting their products to luxury brands across the world.

    EFI supports low carbon processes, working with artisans producing handcrafted, climate-neutral goods, using natural dyes and age-old techniques.

    The fashion industry directly relates to the well-being of millions of workers, the environment and the climate. Ethical fashion promotes all the needs and rights of those involved in the industry to ensure respect for both society and the environment.

     

    A sustainable path for the fashion industry

    Sustainability Services
     

    EFI is partnered with the National Chamber of Italian Fashion (Camera della Moda), a leading influence with the largest luxury brands in the world, to create a framework to assess the industry on its environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. Find out more 

     

    Sustainability Products

     

    EFI is partnered with Artisan Fashion, connecting Africa’s artisans of traditional skills and creative talents to luxury brands. Find out more

     

    Decarbonized Supply Chains
     

    EFI and Artisan Fashion manage an international decarbonized supply chain, a network of social enterprises coordinating the work of artisans from the Global South in order to produce for luxury clients worldwide. Find out more

     

    Business development projects

     

    EFI’s Designer Accelerator, Opportunities are Here and Business Lab projects aim to develop sustainable business to its full potential and harness the power of creative industries to be a force for good. Find out more

    Female workers organize beaded panels that have arrived at the Artisan Fashion Factory from local beading communities
    Do it yourself! Female workers organize beaded panels that have arrived at the Artisan Fashion Factory from local beading communities. Artisan Fashion coordinates the work of talented artisan groups throughout Kenya to enable them to become suppliers of international luxury brands.
    Louis Nderi

    Photo gallery

    Youtube playlist

    In the media

    twyg.
    13 Feb 2024

    ITC contact

    Focal Point
    Chloe
    Mukai
    Email
    Mukai [at] intracen.org