Ghana’s Institute of Textile and Fashion Professionals (ITFP-Ghana) has called for a dedicated training institute for standardisation, metrology and conformity assessment to strengthen the country’s textile and garment industry.
The institute, ITFP-Ghana said, would equip industry players with the technical knowledge needed to meet international standards, improve product quality and boost global competitiveness of local textiles and garments.
Professor Charles Frimpong of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) made the proposal in the first keynote address at the group’s third international conference, speaking on standards as a trade catalyst in Ghana and Africa.
Frimpong said the proposed training centre would offer specialised training, research and technical capacity development in textile testing, measurement, quality assurance and conformity assessment. Stronger standards and compliance mechanisms, he said, were essential to building consumer confidence, facilitating trade and helping Ghana and Africa tap global opportunities.
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The conference, held in partnership with the Fashion Design and Textiles Studies Department at Cape Coast Technical University, ran under the theme “Advancing Textile and Fashion Futures: Smart Innovation, Sustainability, Ethics and Inclusion.” It drew industry professionals, designers, manufacturers and academics.
ITFP-Ghana said a robust standards framework would help local manufacturers meet market requirements, reduce trade barriers and widen access to regional and international markets. It urged stakeholders to back technical education and innovation.
Participants stressed closer collaboration among government, industry, schools and regulators, plus modern skills to raise productivity.
ITFP-Ghana National President Professor Richard Acquaye told delegates that transforming the industry required a collective national effort. He urged players to rethink how textiles and fashion products are designed, produced, consumed, reused, recycled and disposed of.
“Sustainability cannot remain simply a slogan, it must become an integral part of education, research, industrial practice, policy production system, and entrepreneurial activities,” he said.