ITC press pack for UN

1

ETHICAL FASHION INITIATIVE

1

ROLE OF ITC

ITC IS THE JOINT AGENCY OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION AND THE UNITED NATIONS. AS THE DEVELOPMENT PARTNER FOR SMALL BUSINESS EXPORT SUCCESS, ITC’S GOAL IS TO HELP DEVELOPING AND TRANSITION COUNTRIES ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH EXPORTS. THROUGH STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING ITC CONNECTS OPPORTUNITIES TO MARKETS. AS A RESULT, WE ACHIEVE LONG-TERM, TANGIBLE BENEFITS AT BOTH NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY LEVELS.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.

The United Nations is central to global efforts to solve problems that challenge humanity. Cooperating in this effort are more than 30 affiliated organizations, known together as the UN system. Day in and day out, the UN and its family of organizations work to promote respect for human rights, protect the environment, fight disease and reduce poverty.

2

WHY ITC IS ALIGNED WITH THE FASHION INDUSTRY

International Trade Centre, an intergovernmental organisation

that facilitates trade.

Millennium Development Goal 1: Reduction of Poverty.

Millennium Development Goal 7: Environmental Sustainability.

Millennium Development Goal 3: Empowerment of women.

Fashion industry: – Offers a global market for craft related products within the apparel and accessory sectors.– Luxury brands lead the market

Conscience and sense of responsibility emerging amongst luxury consumers.

Increased consumption of sustainable products marketed under a ‘green’ label.

Fashion is for women above all.

Through a sustainable partnership we can change the future of fashion and the future of African women. Within Sub-Saharan Africa we can address the biggest development challenge, helping the poorest of the poor.

3

HOW DOES THE PARTNERSHIP WORK?

HOW?

TPO

TPO

TPO

ITCHub

FashionCommunity Consumer

Hub

Hub

HUB

Individual Communities of skilled artisans have organised themselves into micro-producers specialising in knitting, beading, embroidery, recycling, or wood, horn or bone turning

Our Coordinators work at the hub or in the communities to offer capacity building, and production support.

Once the requirements and goals of a particular fashion house or distributor have been established (we fit around their own individual needs), our experts select the relevant communities from our roster or, if needs be, they involve new communities in the project. Our experts will then work directly with the communities (either in their homes or at one of the hubs) to organize everything from initial samples to the packaging of the final finished products.

KEY

FASHION COMMUNITYITC offers a free and impartial service for the fashion industry to access skills and capacities available in African communities.

CONSUMERSITC communicates the collaborative outcomes and ‘stories’ both directly to the consumer, and by giving our partners the necessary tools to use for themselves.

ITCThrough strategic development and capacity building ITC connects opportunities to markets. As a result, we achieve long-term, tangible benefits at both national and community levels.

HUB/DEVELOPMENT CENTREOur office in the field, we focus on capacity building, production, and expanding our network.

TPO - Trade Promotion OrganisationsITC works with national governments and their technical bodies to support the most marginalised communities.

COORDINATORSEach ITC coordinator has a fixed number of communities to work alongside; through them each community and individual is in constant contact with the hub.

INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITYBy their own initiative, communities of skilled artisans have organized themselves into micro-producers specialising in a wide range of technical skills.

4

GLOBAL ETHICAL FASHION IMPRINT

v v

A GLOBAL VIEW

2009 5 YEAR PROJECTION

Partners Donors Recipiants/ Resource

v v

A GLOBAL VIEW

2009 5 YEAR PROJECTION

Partners Donors Recipiants/ Resource

KEY

PARTNERS

DONORS

PARTICIPANTS/RESOURCE

CURRENT PRESENCE 5 YEAR EXPANSION PLAN

5

PRESENCE IN AFRICA

2009 5 YEAR PROJECTION

PRESENCE IN AFRICA

2009 5 YEAR PROJECTION

PRESENCE IN AFRICA

CURRENT PRESENCE 5 YEAR EXPANSION PLAN

6

KENYA: A CASE STUDY

2009 5 YEAR PROJECTION

PRESENCE IN AFRICA

KENYA

INDIAN OCEAN

ERITREA

DJIBOUTI

TANZANIA

RWANDA

BURUNDI

D.R.C.

SUDAN

ETHIOPIA

SOMALIA

UGANDA

KENYA

NAIROBID

C

B

A

A. TurkanaB. Community groupsC. NamayianaD. Nairobi: Ethical Fashion Hub plus 8 Community Groups 10 Church Groups

CURRENT FOCUS: EASTERN AFRICA

KEY

NGO’S: COMUNITA DI S.EGIDO & COMBONI MISSION OF KOROGOCHO & LOCAL TPO’S

TURKANA

COMMUNITY GROUPS

NAMAYIANA

NAIROBI – ETHICAL FASHION HUB, PLUS 8 COMMUNITY GROUPS, 10 CHURCH GROUPS

A

B

C

D

7

COMMUNITY GROUPS

88

MAX&CO

CROCHET SISTERS

99

MAX&CO

10

MAX&CO

COLLECTION LINE UP

10

11

TIME

APRIL 2009

“BECAUSE FOR ONCE, THIS IS NOT ABOUT PROFIT...MORE THAN 30% OF THE PEOPLE ON THE PLANET LIVE IN SLUM CONDITIONS AND WE MUST FIND WAYS TO WORK WITH THEM, EVEN IF DIFFERENT BUSINESS RULES APPLY.”– MARION HUME

12

VANITY FAIR

FEBRUARY 2009

“...FROM THEIR HUMBLE SLUM DWELLINGS IN NAIROBI, THEY CREATE A COLLECTION FOR COSMOPOLITAN YOUNG LADIES IN PLACES LIKE TOKYO, MILAN, ZURICH AND BERLIN. BY HAND, NATURALLY, THEY CROCHET HANDBAGS AND SCARVES, SEW LEATHER BRACELETS OR, LIKE JENNIFER, ASSEMBLE KEY RINGS.”– SVEN RECKER

13

RE: FASHION AWARDS

14 NOVEMBER 2008

“A RAFT OF LEADING DESIGNERS CONTRIBUTED ONE-OFF PIECES, SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR THE AWARDS’ CATWALK SHOW, INCLUDING ZANDRA RHODES, WHOSE TRIBAL-PRINTED PONCHO WAS MADE FROM BARK CLOTH SOURCED FROM A FICUS TREE IN UGANDA; JONATHAN SAUNDERS WHO MADE AN OUTFIT FROM SECOND-HAND CLOTHING AND FABRIC REMNANTS FROM OXFAM; AND VIVIENNE WESTWOOD WHO MADE A MAN’S AND A WOMAN’S OUTFIT FROM ORGANIC COTTONS AND SILKS, FROM UGANDA AND BRAZIL.”– HILLARY ALEXANDER

14

ALTAROMA PARTNERSHIP

30 JANUARY 2009

“ROME, COUTURE BECOMES MULTI-ETHNIC”– MF

15

ALTAROMA PARTNERSHIP

IMANE AYISI, 3 FEBRUARY 2009

16

“... A BREATH OF AFRICAN AIR IS GIVEN THROUGH THREE DESIGNERS FROM THE CONTINENT: KOFI ANSAH FROM GHANA, SYLVIA OWORI FROM UGANDA AND IMANE AYUSSI FROM CAMEROON, USING TUAREG ARMOUR WITH A HINT OF VOODOO, COMBINED WITH ETHNIC PRINTS.”– KATIA PERRINI

ALTAROMA PARTNERSHIP

KOFI ANSAH, 3 FEBRUARY 2009

17

“ALTAROMA,“ETHICAL FASHION” ON THE CATWALK.”– ANNA MARIA GRECO, IL GIORNALE

ALTAROMA PARTNERSHIP

SYLVIA OWORI, 30 JANUARY 2009

18

CARMINA CAMPUS

COLLECTION LINE UP

18

19

CARMINA CAMPUS

4 FEBRUARY 2009

ETHICAL FASHION BECOMES GLAMOROUS

“A YEAR AFTER ITS LAUNCH “ETHICAL FASHION” COMES INTO FRUITION. THE PROJECT WAS KICKED OFF IN 2008 BY ALTA ROMA AND ITC (...) TO PROMOTE NEW ETHICS IN FASHION PRODUCED BY AFRICAN COUNTRIES.”

20

CARMINA CAMPUS

ELLE ITALY, 2009

“...WITH THE SUPPORT OF ITC, AN AGENCY OF THE UN AND THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, A NEW INITIATIVE TARGETING WOMEN WAS CREATED: A WORKSHOP TO TEACH THEM IN DSCHANG TO EMBROIDER THE FRONT OF THE CARMINA CAMPUS BAGS. THE WOMEN DESPERATELY WANT TO LEARN, TO EARN, TO BE EMANCIPATED, TO BE PROTECTED FROM AIDS...”– LUISA SIMONETTO