The Ethiopian Institute of Textile and Fashion Technology (EiTEX) has been a premier higher education institute under Bahir Dar University since 1963. The institute started its first training program in Textile Technology in collaboration with the Russian Government in 1963 at advanced diploma level under Bahir Dar Polytechnic Institute, which eventually grew to become Bahir Dar University in 2000. For about 33 years the training program was in the level of Advance Diploma in the field of Textile Technology. Shortly afterwards, the Advanced Diploma program was upgraded to B.Sc. program in Textile Engineering in 1997.

Considering the importance of the textile, garment, and fashion sector to the economic well-being and industrialization of Ethiopia, the Government of Ethiopia has upgraded the Department of Textile Engineering to Institute level with the name "Institute of Textile and Clothing Technology" from July, 2009. Later in 2010, the Engineering Capacity Building Program (ECBP) started operating in Ethiopia with the collaboration of the German government and the institute was renamed as "Institute of Technology for Textile, Garment, and Fashion Design (IoTEX)" and functioning separately under Bahir Dar University. Shortly afterwards, as of March 2014, it was renamed as "Ethiopian Institute of Textile and Fashion Technology (EiTEX).

Currently, under EiTEX, there are 9 BSc (6 regular, 1 extension and 2 summer) programs, six MSc (regular), and 4 PhD programs.

Our regular BSc programs are Textile Engineering, Textile Chemical Process Engineering, Garment Engineering, Leather Engineering, Textile and Textile and Apparel Merchandising, and Fashion Design. Whereas, MSc programs in the institute are Textile Manufacturing, Textile Chemistry, Fiber Science & Technology, Fashion Technology, Fashion Design, and Leather Product Design & Engineering. In addition, the institute offers 4 PhD programs. Whereas two of the PhD programs are research based Sandwich PhD programs.