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AFRICA – AfDB’s Fashionomics Africa Initiative Launches $6,000 Sustainable Fashion Contest

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The African Development Bank’s Fashionomics Africa initiative is launching a new sustainable fashion competition with its partners. African designers of sustainable and circular fashion, winners of the second edition of the African Development Bank’s Fashionomics Africa online competition, will receive a $6,000 cash prize, mentoring services, packages for a new branding strategy and other forms of support.

Fashionomics Africa, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme, the Parsons School of Design, the BPCM Strategic Advisory and Communication Agency and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, invites African fashion brands to enter the online sustainable fashion contest. Participants who have already implemented measures that respect the environment, sustainability and the circular economy will be eligible. The creator or team submitting the “best sustainable design” will win $3,000, along with other prizes. Two other finalists in the competition will each win $1,500, along with various awards.

The contest showcases African fashion brands that will evolve the way fashion creations are produced, bought, used and recycled, and encourage more sustainable change in consumption patterns.

Acting Director of the African Development Bank’s Women, Gender and Civil Society Department, Amel Hamza, said: Sustainability is the present, not a distant future, not even a near future. It’s here and now, and it’s vital to open your eyes to what the fashion industry already has to offer. By tapping into existing industry resources, we are promoting circularity at the most fundamental level.”

“With this second edition of the Fashionomics Africa contest, the African Development Bank wants to continue to highlight the ingenuity that African fashion designers consistently demonstrate by building on the strength of their culture and heritage.”, she added.

The textile and fashion industry accounts for about 2-8% of global carbon emissions. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, this sector is the second largest industrial polluter in the world after the oil sector. However, this industry also generates many jobs, significant foreign exchange revenues and products essential to human well-being.

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The competition is aimed at African entrepreneurs in the textile, clothing and accessories sectors, aged 18 and over, who have launched companies in the fashion sector (with a maximum workforce of 50 employees) and whose sustainable creations have been produced over the past five years. Qualified candidates will submit photos of their products, detail their sustainable business model and explain how their startup is innovative and environmentally friendly.

Elements of sustainability and circularity can include materials used, the creative process, cleaner or greener production processes—including shipping methods or ways to reduce the carbon footprint.

A five-person jury representing the African Development Bank and competition partners will announce the three finalists by March 22, 2022. The finalists’ works will be posted on the digital market and on the Fashionomics Africa mobile app (https://bit.ly/3JwIRIe) and submitted to the public for a vote between March 22 and April 7, 2022. Votes will close on 7 April at 11.59 pm GMT.

In addition to the cash price, the winning fashion brand will receive a certificate and be offered the opportunity to promote its creation by participating in online events and sharing its views on the key sustainability challenges facing the sector. The winner will have access to a network of media professionals and industry experts and will benefit from the mentorship and networking opportunities offered by the contest partners.

To learn more about the Fashionomics Africa online contest or to apply, click here (https://bit.ly/3JwIRIe). Applications must be received by March 1, 2022 at 11:59 pm GMT.

Fashionomics Africa is an initiative of the African Development Bank that increases Africa’s participation in the global value chains of the textile and fashion industry.

(Distributed by APO Group)

       

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