GOTS Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The conference will be held alongside the 8th Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week. The day-long event will bring together stakeholders across the organic textile value chain from Africa and the global community.  

REGISTRATION (9:00 - 9:45) 

Welcome Addresses (9:45 - 9:55): Claudia Kersten and Rahul Bhajekar; GOTS Managing Directors 

Opening Address (9:55-10:00): Hermogene Nsengimana; Secretary General, African Organization for Standardization 

SESSION 1 (10:00 - 11:00): Panel Discussion on Organic Fiber Production in Africa  

This session will discuss organic fiber production in Africa and issues of quantity, quality, global best practices, and potential. The session will focus on the perspective of African producers.  

Panelists:  

• Mesele Mekuria; Deputy Director, Ethiopian Textile Industry Development Institute  

• Nick Earlam; Chairman, Plexus Cotton 

• Dr. Tadesse Amera; Director, Pesticide Action Nexus Ethiopia 

• Simplice Davo Vadouhe; Coordinator, Benin Organization for the promotion of Organic Agriculture  

Moderator: Jeffrey Thimm; GOTS Organic Production Specialist 

Coffee Break (11:00 - 11:45) 

SESSION 2 (11:45 - 13:15): Presentation and Q&A: GOTS – The King’s Road to Sustainable Textiles  

Presenter: Muktar Dodo; GOTS Representative in Africa 

This session will provide an overview on the GOTS system; organic fibers, ecological and social criteria, all processing stages, and verification process. Implementation of the standard and the credibility of the GOTS label will be discussed. Q&A will follow.  

Networking Lunch (13:15 - 14:30) 

SESSION 3 (14:30 - 16:00): Showcase: From Field to Fashion Africa – African Organic Textile Stories  

Moderator: Herbert Ladwig; GOTS Former Managing Director 

This session will showcase a line-up of GOTS certified products made in Africa to highlight the potential of a complete African value chain.  

Coffee Break (16:00 - 16:30)  

SESSION 4 (16:30 - 17:45): Panel Discussion: The Buyers View  

Panelists will be representatives of global brands and buying houses. The session will discuss issues of sourcing, integrity, traceability, quality, and social accountability. 

Panelists:  

• Nicholas Allen; Patagonia, Spain 

• Michaela Engst; Country Coordinator, Fashion Revolution Ethiopia 

• Tameka Peoples; Founder/CEO Seed2Shirt, USA 

Moderator: Franziska Dormann; GOTS Representative to Global Brands 

Summing up and Closing (17:45 - 18:00) 

For sponsorship inquiries, contact:

Note:  

• Acceptance of patron charges is at the sole discretion of the organisers.
• For payments in USD or Euros, please contact us for remittance bank details. 
• In the event of any specific additional benefit or request, please contact the organisers.
• Any other modes of visibility, or additional benefits to be opted for, besides what is documented, must be done with prior permission of organisers. 
• The amount received must be the net amount. Bank charges, if any, must be borne by the remitter.
• If anyone wishes to avail of a customised patron package, please contact the organisers. We will make an attempt to work on the same, though without any assurances. 

Acceptance of all sponsorships ends 21st October,2022. 

Please register for the conference, here!