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TOP SHOP LEADS THE WAY
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One of the UK's best known high street fashion stores, Topshop, is to sell ethically-produced clothing made by a fair trade group in Ghana, thanks to a government-funded tie-up between Greenwich and Coventry universities and small businesses in Africa. The project, "Design4Life, Ghana", has been organised by Tabeisa, a partnership of UK and African universities working to support small entrepreneurs. It set up an international design competition to promote ethical fashion and the winning designs were announced and shown at this year's Ethical Fashion Show in Paris. Topshop experts advised the finalists on quality management, specification and sizing. The Women in Progress co-operative in Ghana will put the items into production, printing batik fabric and making up the garments which will then be sold in Topshop in summer 2007.
Dr Jane Conlon MBE, CEO of Tabeisa says: "It was not until we saw the designs on the Paris catwalk that we realised just how special our competition was as the outcome will change the lives of disadvantaged communities. This world platform means that fashion houses across the world will see that ethical garments can be as fashionable as haute couture but will help others in the process. The winning fashions display originality and talent, not just in design terms but in the way clothes and fabric are made, with consideration to the people who make them and to the environment."
The DfES backed the scheme with £50,000 funding for a Tabeisa enterprise centre in Ghana, announced last year by Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell. Now, the department has committed a further £100,000 to expand the project to East Africa, all part of its response to the recommendations of the Africa Commission which showed that UK universities have a key part to play in development in Africa.
Professor John Humphreys, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research & Enterprise at the University of Greenwich said: "Universities in the UK, and in Africa, have considerable expertise in helping businesses grow and in regional economic development. Through the Tabeisa project we have been able to link the skills of African artisans and entrepreneurs to the design flair and market knowledge needed to create products that will fly off the shelves in the UK."
Claire Hamer of Topshop said: "Topshop is committed to supporting ethical trade and we value the work done by Tabeisa on developing links between African manufacturers and European markets."
Bill Rammell MP also endorsed the project, saying: "We know that the challenge of youth employment needs urgent attention. The development of skills relevant to market demands is a crucial way in which we can address this. Tabeisa is an excellent example of colleges, communities and young people working together to improve their future."
Lizzie Dawutey, production manager of the Women in Progress co-operative in Ghana, which will make the clothes, explained that the project has made a real difference to the lives of local women: "Tabeisa has helped us to create our own companies and now we are making materials and the dresses for the competition winners that will be sold in shops across Europe. It is a big undertaking but one that will bring enormous benefit to the women in my co-operative and will make a huge difference to their families and the surrounding communities."
The two winning designs were created by Julia Smith (Best Global Commercial Design & Print) and Annegret Affolderbach (Best Innovative Dress Design and Print).
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