As consumers and manufacturers become more aware of the effects of textile production on climate change and the environment, sustainable fashion in Africa is constantly evolving. As a result, they are taking steps to reduce the environmental impact of their activities.
A growing number of ethical and sustainable fashion brands are establishing themselves and bringing about change in the fashion industry, including in Africa. With their contemporary views steeped in history, these innovative brands are reclaiming African fashion, forging a brave and beautiful future for emerging African fashion designers.
Africa’s sustainable and ethical fashion industry still has a long way to go in comparison to its western counterparts. Some African brands, on the other hand, are breaking down barriers and making a name for themselves.
NKWO
The DAKALA CLOTH, a “new African cloth,” was created as a result of Nkwo Onwuka’s design company, NKWO, which is a pioneer in Nigeria’s sustainable fashion movement that prioritizes resource preservation.
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Lukhanyo Mdingi
The eponymous label has had a strong interest in thoughtful and true design ever since it was founded in 2015. The LUKHANYO MDINGI label produces expertly manufactured items in a collaborative atmosphere. The goal is to ensure that product development is pragmatic and attentive, focusing on human inventiveness as the source of an honest, stable, and powerful design.
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Allëdjo
In 2017, Beninese designer Kassim Lassissi established the ALLDJO apparel line, which is created by local artisans in Dakar, Senegal. The designer’s passion of travel and superb apparel were combined to develop the brand, which heavily relies on a vibrant color scheme and flowing materials. The brand is an accurate representation of the modern man and woman who are dedicated to sustainability and the preservation of traditions.
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WUMAN
Ekwerike Chukwuma launched the modern African fashion-art company WUMAN in 2013. The female form, which Chukwuma fell in love with during his early undergraduate years, serves as the inspiration for the womenswear/menswear company. With cross-disciplinary connections to anatomy, poetry, architecture, etc., WUMAN’s clothing unites culture, tradition, and African art.
At WUMAN, clothing is developed in grace-filled moments that are specific to Chukwuma and the periods and is thought of as a storyteller. The clothing is art designed to speak to, engage, and inspire its wearer and audience, as well as serve as a tool for change.
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Sophie Nzinga
Sustainable fashion brand Sophie Nzinga creates elegant designs that fuse several cultures, particularly Sophie’s Senegalese background and New York City schooling, using biodegradable materials and fabrics (such as silk, satin, and semi-precious stones).
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MaXhosa
Laduma Ngxokolo created this ethical knitwear company in South Africa in 2010. Laduma has researched and reworked traditional Xhosa beadwork, designs, meaning, and colors in order to include them in his modern knitwear range. preserving his heritage and looking out for the environment.
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STUDIO 189
This Accra-based fashion and lifestyle company, co-founded by Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah, is manufactured in Africa and creates clothes and content with African and African-inspired themes. The prestigious CFDA Lexus Fashion Initiative for Sustainability was just awarded to it. The brand collaborates with artisanal groups that produce predominantly hand-batik, kente weaving, and items with plant-based dyes.
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Lisa Folawiyo Studio
One of the first African fashion houses to use the Ankara fabric with contemporary tailoring methods and sequin trim is the Nigerian womenswear label Lisa Folawiyo Studio.
The gorgeous tailoring and delicate beadwork on Lisa’s creations, which are fashioned from materials purchased locally, are done by female Nigerian craftsmen who are well-paid. She has also begun collaborating with the Ethical Fashion Initiative on a project.
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OLOOH
Kadar Diaby’s sustainable Ivorian menswear label OLOOH honors Ivorian artisans by hiring women from the Treichville commune to dye the eco-linen that is used to create the brand’s garments. The wide-brimmed wicker hats and leather shoes are also from Abidjan. Olooh is the word for “Our” in the Senufo language, which was inspired by the Ivory Coast, Morocco, and the creator’s exposure to the West.
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OSEI-DURO
Molly Keogh and Maryanne Mathias founded Osei-Duro in 2011. Hand-dying techniques used by them include West African batik, wood carving, botanical dyeing, block printing, hand painting, and more.
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