Accra: Ms Angel Afua Goka, the Proprietor of Angel Institute of Fashion and Design, has said the institution's Zero-Waste Initiative was established to transform textile waste into valuable products while promoting youth empowerment and environmental sustainability.
According to Ghana News Agency, the initiative was launched after the institute faced monthly losses of about GHS2,000 due to nearly 15 per cent of purchased fabric ending up as waste. Ms Goka's approach to sustainable fashion was reshaped after participating in the Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) training organised by MDPI and GIZ in January 2024. The transformation deepened in 2025 when GIZ sponsored a five-month training programme at BlueCrest University in digital marketing, financial literacy, and garment technology.
The institute now utilises up to 95 per cent of every yard of fabric, with materials previously discarded being repurposed into bags, belts, accessories, and decorative fashion items. The initiative gained national recognition when the institute won the GIZ Sustainable Fashion Competition organised by BlueCrest University in December 2025, proving that zero-waste fashion was both practical and scalable.
As part of its 10th anniversary celebrations, Ms Goka announced the launch of the institute's first Zero-Waste Collection, integrating fashion design, creativity, innovation, and sustainability. She also highlighted a recent social intervention programme, under which the institute engaged market women in Ho.
The institute currently has the capacity to train 20 additional young people in zero-waste production techniques to equip them with skills for employment while protecting the environment. Ms Goka stressed that sustainable fashion had the potential to create jobs, empower communities, and transform Ghana's fashion industry. However, she called for stronger support from stakeholders to expand the initiative and deepen its impact.
With the support of sponsors and partners, the institute aims to complete its learning block, train more young people, reduce textile waste on a larger scale, and create a greater impact. Ms Goka urged stakeholders to support efforts aimed at turning waste into wealth, creativity into empowerment, and fashion into a driver of sustainable development.