They make Fashion from Bananas and Trees!
Africa Fashion Guide
Equipping Designers and creative entrepreneurs with information on Africa's supply chain to create fashion businesses
For this weeks African Fashion Business newsletter I want to share with you the importance of sourcing sustainably.
Many a time have I heard brands and new fashion business owners say they have an ethical fashion brand because it is made in Africa. But this is not enough to have a truly sustainable, responsible and ethically made fashion brand.
I will share more over the month of March ways you can build a true ethical fashion brand, but I want to start by talking about a unique supplier of ours who joined our sourcing platform theFATE just this year and what they do.
MATERIAL SELECTION
One way you can source sustainably and do this well is by the choice of materials you use. This Ugandan supplier does exactly that.?Materials they use for example include?sustainably harvested natural fibres that are indigenous to the production region, such as
This Wednesday 1st March (7pm Uk / 2pm EST) as part?of our monthly members only?"Meet the Manufacturer"?sessions at theFATE we will meet with?this supplier as one of our?latest additions to our platform. They are a women-led social enterprise based in a rural village in?Western Uganda, that uses fashion as a tool for women's empowerment and?environmental regeneration.
This specific supplier makes accessories handcrafted?by?artisans?who follow?age old traditions?and those that are often passed down from one generation to the next?too in?Uganda.?The products include Bags, Sandals, Pumps, homeware pieces, and they have artisans with?expertise in embroidery and weaving.
Their products are made from locally sourced materials that they carefully choose so they can meet their environmental values and goals. Their commitment is demonstrated by using materials that are either biodegradable, reused, or recycled.??They do their best to save materials from landfill and accomplish this by purchasing second-hand fabrics from local markets, using secondhand embroidery threads, and repurposing tires for shoemaking.
This inspirational company is one that you can work with too on your products next season and build a strong ethically made brand story.
领英推荐
You can learn more about starting your own African fashion business and i break this topic of ethical sourcing down even further and more in depth in my latest book part of the Fashion Africa book series. Get your copy?here
So this brand we will meet on Wednesday over zoom use natural fibres like Banana leaf through to bark cloth, and support hand crafts like weaving and embroidery but there are other materials you can use too that I will share more of over March so do stay tuned.
If you would like to join us on Wednesday do get your members account because we in fact have a few awesome makers artisans and?supplier partners at our?sourcing agency?@fashionafricatradeexpo?from across the continent and they offer a variety of product offers. Make sure to get a paid members account to get full access to all the features of the sourcing agency.
So?do access all by clicking?here?or copy this into your browser
www.fashionafricatradeexpo.com and?do put a note in your diary and the zoom link will be sent to you shortly for the session on Wednesday where you will meet this supplier live.
We proudly represent them as one of many suppliers and African fashion manufacturers we have on our platform waiting to connect with you.
To your success,
because your success is my success.
With love from Africa
Jacqueline Shaw
Your African Fashion Business Coach
Equipping?African Fashion Entrepreneurs to start, build and launch
fashion businesses made in Africa in 2023 and beyond.