By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, Sept. 30, GNA – The Institute of Textiles and Fashion Professionals-Ghana (ITFP-Ghana), has called for stronger standards, quality assurance systems and skills development to position Ghana’s textile and fashion industry for sustainable growth and international competitiveness.
The call was made at the third ITFP-Ghana International Conference held under the theme: “Advancing Textile and Fashion Futures: Smart Innovation, Sustainability, Ethics and Inclusion”.
The conference brought together textile and fashion professionals, academics, designers, industry practitioners and other stakeholders to deliberate on emerging trends and challenges confronting the sector.
Professor Richard Acquaye, the National President Institute of Textiles and Fashion Professionals, Ghana said, investment alone was not enough adding.
He said: “We need stronger collaboration between the government, academia and industry to develop skills, promote innovation, adopt appropriate technologies, improve productivity and build sustainable value chains.”
The Institute therefore called for greater partnership to position the textile and garment sector as an important pillar of Ghana’s economic transformation and the 24-Hour Economy Agenda.
“Ghana, with its rich textile heritage and creative talent, has considerable potentials to develop the sector as an important engine of economic transformation”, he added.
Participants also examined sustainable fashion production, circularity, innovative materials, 3D fashion design, virtual prototyping, e-textiles and wearable technologies as emerging opportunities for transforming the industry.
Prof. Kwaku Adutwum Ayim Boakye, Vice-Chancellor of Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU) who was the Special Guest, said the textile and fashion industry was undergoing a profound transformation.
“Across Ghana, Africa, and the world, digital technologies, smart textiles, innovative materials, and new approaches to design and production are reshaping the way we create, consume, and connect,” he added.
Prof. Boakye indicated that the evolution was not simply about fashion; it was about building futures that were intelligent, ethical, and inclusive.
He called for sustainable ethics to cover the environment, attitudes and impacts, adding,”together, let us commit to advancing textiles and fashion futures that are smart in innovation, sustainable in ethics, and inclusive in global impact.”
Speakers at the conference included Prof. Charles Frimpong, Dr Paula Veske-Lepp, Dr Amjad Farooq, Dr Jing Liu, Dr Marzie Hatef Jalil and Dr Sakthivel Santhanam.
Discussions focused on the need to strengthen standardisation, metrology and conformity assessment in the textile and fashion industry to improve upon the quality and competitiveness of locally produced garments and textile products.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Reporter’s email address: [email protected]