Eco-Fashion Innovation Workshop

The festival emphasizes sustainable and ethical fashion, promoting responsible production and consumption to protect the environment and support local communities. MAFEST, therefore, is in full support of the Zero-Waste campaign and in our drive to produce the next generation of eco-friendly Fashion Designers, we want to be part of the creation of new generation of fashion designers that are innovative, tackling wastes in exciting and innovative ways.

The Eco-Fashion Innovation Workshop is a hands-on, solution-driven platform that trains youths and emerging designers to transform waste materials—plastics, textile scraps, cans, discarded clothing wastes and discarded packaging—into sustainable fashion pieces. The workshop aligns with Nigeria’s circular economy agenda, the SDGs (12, 13), and global climate action priorities.

The aims and objectives of the Eco-Friendly Workshop are to:

• Equip 150 emerging fashion designers with sustainable fashion production techniques, particularly in waste-to-fashion upcycling skills.
• Raise awareness about the environmental impact of the fashion industry.
• Promote eco-conscious consumer behavior.
• Foster cross-cultural exchanges and partnerships in sustainable practices.
• Introduce emerging designers to eco-friendly methods such as recycling, up-cycling, and the use of sustainable materials.
• Upscale the promotion and advancement of the principles of Circular Economy.
• Showcase unique upcycled fashion pieces at the two Fashion shows of MAFEST.

MAFEST desires to create Fashion Designers like Bethany Williams from the United Kingdom who create sustainable fashion works even down to the button, using Hand Woven textiles from recycled packaging materials found in their workshop.

There is also the Spanish Ecoalf brand founded on the principles of recycling. They use 100% recycled materials such as discarded fishing nets, plastic bottles, worn out tires, postindustrial cotton to produce outer wears, swimsuits, Sneakers and accessories. The unique thing about this company is that they maintain a team that sees through the processes from waste collection to recycling technologies, manufactured designs and retail.

Through this exposure, young Africans can be empowered, bearing in mind that the workshop broadens their career prospects in fashion design and production, employing a waste-to-wealth mentality. For instance, everyday products crafted from recycled materials include:

• Bike Tires. Eco-friendly bike tires are made from recycled rubber and are designed to be environmentally-friendly and sustainable.
• Glass Countertops.
• Paper Notebooks.
• Furniture.
• Yoga Mats.
• Backpacks and Bags.
• Glass Bottle Vases.
• Decking.
• Mangoes used to produce Vegan leather used to make purses, shoes, and more.

In the fresh race towards sustainable fashion, Nigerians and Africans should occupy the front seats rather than being consumers of recycled products.

Government Institutions

• Federal Ministry of Environment
• The Host State Ministry of Environment
• Food & Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA) members — umbrella for brands already funding plastics collection/recycling in Nigeria:
  • Coca-Cola (NBC)
  • Nigerian Breweries (Heineken)
  • Nestlé
  • Guinness (Diageo)
  • Unilever
  • Tetra Pak
  • International Breweries (AB InBev)
  • Dow
  • Engee PET
  • Wecyclers — Lagos
• MTN Nigeria / MTN Foundation — active environment/ESG programmes (net-zero pathway, circular initiatives, recyclable SIM cards) and youth challenges with WWF; pitch as title sponsor for youth eco-innovation track.
• Airtel Africa — sustainability reporting shows waste reduction/recycling efforts and staff volunteer clean-ups; pitch employee volunteering + outreach day at your workshop.
• Dow / materials & packaging players (e.g., Tetra Pak) — run plastics recovery pilots in Nigeria; pitch materials innovation corner and case demos.

International Organisations & Development Partners

• UNDP Nigeria – Global Plastics Innovation Programme (GPIP)
• UNIDO – Plastics Circular Economy Project (Nigeria)
• African Development Bank – Fashionomics Africa
• British Council (Creative Economy)
• EU Delegation / EU culture funds
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF)
• Laudes Foundation

Nigerian Banks & Foundations (CSR/ESG Angles)

• Access Bank / other tier-1 banks often fund environment/skills CSR; pair with financial literacy for green micro-enterprises and a green-SME market day.
• Local circular fashion & ecosystem collaborators (great for co-funding + in-kind)
• PLANET 3R (Ibadan) — converts textile/plastic waste into fashion/home goods; ideal demo partner, speaker, and workshop mentor.
• Private Finance for the SDGs Imagine5

• Brand Visibility: Sponsor-branded upcycling labs, collection points, and runway slots.
• CSR/ESG Alignment: Strong alignment with sustainability, youth empowerment, and climate action mandates.
• Consumer Activation: On-site booths for recycling awareness, social media amplification, and brand storytelling.
• Legacy Impact: Establish permanent community collection hubs and mentorship pathways with partners like Wecyclers, UNDP, AfDB.

Sponsorship Opportunities:

• Title Partner (₦15m – ₦20m): Naming rights, logo on all materials, keynote slot, branded challenge prize.
• Co-Sponsor (₦5m – ₦10m): Logo visibility, branded upcycling lab, staff volunteer day, booth activation.
• In-Kind Partner: Provide waste collection logistics, tools, fabrics, machines, or media coverage.

Partners & Collaborators:

Wecyclers, LAWMA, UNDP Nigeria, UNIDO, AfDB Fashionomics, British Council Creative Economy.

Expected Outcome:

An annual showcase of how waste can be transformed into value, creating jobs, reducing pollution, and positioning Nigeria as a leader in sustainable fashion in Africa.

— Charles Ozoemena, September 5, 2025