ZDHC launched its first project in Africa to strengthen the capability of the textile and apparel industries in Ethiopia. The two and a half years project will be carried out in collaboration with the University of Bahir Dar. According to the project, ZDHC will incorporate chemical management into the undergraduate curriculum of the university and will establish training and consultancy infrastructure. The objective is to make the textile and apparel sectors in Ethiopia more sustainable, and to protect workers, the environment and local communities.
As a part of a private-public partnership between the German government and Dow Europe GmbH, the ZDHC Foundation will lend its expertise to help ensure a safer and eco-friendlier textile and apparel industry in the country, which has a small but growing manufacturing base.
This project is a milestone for ZDHC as it complements its vision of widespread implementation of sustainable chemistry, driving innovations and environmental best practices in the textile, apparel, leather and footwear value chains. The project will be carried out on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Organization and Development, by GIZ GmbH. GIZ is a service provider with experience in the textile industry in general and chemical management, in the area of sustainable development.
