Kisaku Gives Back
Earlier this week we were introduced to the brand Kisaku – an online platform specialising in modern heritage-infused fashion and home decor collections, which are carefully curated from Indonesian artisans and craftmakers. Founders Felicia and Lenny continue their story here, sharing with us how they invest in the lives of the artisan producers. Kisaku has […]
Artesan Profile : Kisaku Heritage
Kisaku is an online platform specialising in modern heritage-infused fashion and home decor collections, which are carefully curated from Indonesian artisans and craftmakers. It is a space where traditional techniques (such as those used in hand-woven ikat and batik, hand weaving of wicker products, bark cloth products, etc) meet modern styles. Kisaku works with passionate […]
Kantala: Sri Lankan sustainable fashion
Sustainable Sri Lankan brand poised to be a global fashion house: Kantala. In part one, we hear about the story behind the brand. The Brand Feeling frustrated that Sri Lanka had failed time and time again to leverage its rich history and culture to propel itself in the global marketplace, co-founders Vikum Rajapakse and Nadishan […]
Artesan Profile: Juta Shoes
Juta Shoes is a community development enterprise born out of St. Hilda’s East Community Center (St. Hilda’s) in East London. The handmade espadrilles are made by women who are socially isolated and face several barriers to work. We were intrigued to learn more about this enterprising grassroots community organization in the heart of London and […]
Friends of Basha – Supporting the women behind Basha Enterprises.
Social businesses that work within the artisan sector, often establish a separate nonprofit to support the socio-economic needs of the producers whom they employ. We recently caught up with founder, Robin Seyfert to learn more about Friends of Basha, and how it supports many of the women who work at Basha Enterprises. Basha Enterprises is […]
Artesan profile: Nokshi Crafts
We are thrilled to share a recent conversation with founder of Nokshi Crafts, Maisha Samiha, about vision for the organization and the sector. Background – how it all began The Rana Plaza incident was a horrible tragedy that really put into context the complexities of fast fashion and social responsibility, and personally, it motivated me to find […]
Songa Designs launches new Bohemian Handbag line!
We are excited to share the new Bohemian Handbag collection recently unveiled by our friends at Songa Designs. Offering ‘socially conscious handbags’ for their consumers, the handbags are created using the traditional Rwandan weaving techniques we’ve come to admire from Songa’s accessories and baskets. The current collection includes the Zuri Handbag (meaning “beautiful” in Swahili), […]
Artesan Profile: Mustard Seed Africa
Mustard Seed Africa, Zimbabwe and Swaziland We recently caught up with Gail Mqhele Mawocha, Director at Mustard Seed Africa, to learn more about the brand and how it is investing in women. Mustard Seed Africa (MSA) is an organisation with operations in Zimbabwe and Swaziland that focuses on social and economic empowerment initiatives for women […]
An online marketplace for Dharavi artisans
Dharavi, Mumbai is home to what is often referred to as one of the largest slums in Asia. Depicted in several films, including Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay and Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, it is a city within a city and home to over 1million people. Dharavi is often cited for the informal economy and enterprise […]
Artesan Profile: Mayamiko, Malawi & UK
Having worked in the two thirds world in developing economies, Paola Masperi founded Mayamiko in 2008 as a charitable project with the aim of turning it into a sustainable business. Patterning with artisans in Malawi, Masperi was keen to take a holistic approach in providing individuals with opportunities through education, skills training and access to […]