EAA Pivots Manufacturing Efforts To Produce PPE and Medical Apparel To Combat Virus

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July 9, 2020 – Sourcing company, Ethical Apparel Africa (EAA) is working closely with its factory partners in Ghana (KAD Manufacturing, Alfie Designs and Maagrace) and Benin (ANC) to pivot manufacturing to essentially-needed apparel and personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare providers to combat worldwide shortages.

The EAA has mobilized funding and support from different donor agencies to enable the production of over 50,000 sets of scrubs meeting international performance and quality standards.

The scrubs are being distributed to Ghana’s hospitals at reduced costs and will be available to be exported to the US, UK, and Europe on a per need basis. These scrubs will also be made available for donation to Ghana and Benin public hospitals to assist in the fight of the global crisis.

PPE production capability is being expanded in Ghana by the EAA with a special focus on manufacturing medical-grade masks to meet international testing requirements and certification.

This surgical mask production unit will be the first of its caliber in Ghana. This unit will provide Ghana a reliable source of supply for medical-grade masks to protect healthcare providers.

In an effort to develop existing and develop more long-term relationships with the U.S and UK medical apparel buyers, the EAA support them to access West African production capacity and diversify their supply chains.

This pivot has enabled the factories to avoid the widespread disruption seen in other garment-producing regions as they continue to provide their employees with safe and secure employment through the crisis.

EAA partner factories together employ over 700 individuals, 70% of which are women, whose incomes are relied upon by their families and communities. The factories themselves are focused on safeguarding the wellbeing of its workers through targeted initiatives in sanitation, cleanliness, health education, and transportation support.

In addition to strengthening the clothing manufacturing industry, these efforts directly address Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo’s call to develop local manufacturing capabilities towards self-sufficiency in essential product categories.

In late March, the President said, “We know how to bring the economy back to life. What we do not know is how to bring people back to life.”

These partners are all working to contribute to this success story by pivoting local industry capabilities and preparing for what could come in the future.