About Creative DNA
At a pivotal time for the fashion industry, this programme focuses on sharing and supporting alternative, responsible and innovative approaches to the global fashion system. It centres around a contemporary exploration of Kenya’s fashion value chain, through research, creative enterprise and storytelling. In collaboration with partners from the Kenyan and UK creative industries, the programme comprises of local industry mapping, alternative sustainable materials research, and creative enterprise support and incubation. The partners on this programme have published three reports; the first, a Needs Analysis report for the Kenyan fashion sector produced by Collective RW and independent UK researcher Jan Miller; the second a case study on one of Kenya’s oldest markets, Uhuru Markets in partnership with HEVA Fund; and the third is an analysis of the potential use for alternative fibres and raw materials in Kenya led by the Kenyan chapter of Fashion Revolutionaries.
These reports share in-depth knowledge of different actors in the value chain and can be used as educational and advocacy tools. As part of the ambition to support fashion businesses in Kenya strengthen their skills, knowledge and networks, the programme supported 60 fashion businesses through the Creative Enterprise Programme, a three-day capacity-building workshop that offers practical resources for creatives to plan, build, test, communicate their businesses. Learn more about the programme here. In addition, Mettā Nairobi in collaboration with Fashion Scout led a yearlong fashion incubator that included a boot camp, a digital fashion showcase, competitive seed funding and a UK study visit scheduled for 2021. Creative DNA is a British Council programme funded by the Foreign Commonwealth Office.
Kenya Fashion Sector Needs Analysis Report Partners: Collective RW and Jan Miller
Through the focus on research and insight, the British Council will publish a needs analysis report for the Kenyan fashion sector produced by Collective RW and independent UK researcher Jan Miller. The paper is an in-depth analysis of the Kenyan Fashion ecosystem and provides recommendations for sector improvements on existing supply chains, fashion business models, access to markets and finance, education among others.
“It is recommended that greater support be sought for scaling up the Made In Kenya retail concept to promote Kenyan fashion talent to the local market as well as tourists. Fashion is known to be a strong ‘influencer’ in many other developing countries, and could be adopted in Kenya as the regional influencer”
~ Pierra Ntayombya, lead researcher
The Fashion Incubator Programme
Partners: Mettā Nairobi and Fashion Scout
This 12 month programme is working with 11 fashion businesses and includes a bootcamp, a digital fashion showcase, competitive seed funding and a UK study visit scheduled for 2021.
The cohort includes Ohana Family Wear, We Are NBO, Gordon Luchini, Epic African Jewellery, Favoloso by Nanu, Sevaria, Enda Athletic Ltd., The Nisisi Factory, StyleTech by Teshie, Vintara Collections and Genteel Kenya.
Through webinars, coaching and mentorship the programme is supporting the entrepreneurs’ ambitions to grow their businesses by tackling growth-stage challenges such as attracting the right customers, scaling to new markets, network development, skills development and securing investment. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges it will continue to pose on creative businesses in Kenya, the CDNA program made available 11 seed grants valued at Ksh 3,580,000 from the initial Pre - COVID 19 allocation of five seed grants that were each valued at KSH 655,000. This has been done to increase the ability of all participants to innovate and chart a new path for their businesses.
Uhuru Market Action Research Project Partner: HEVA Fund
Uhuru market is the largest individual production unit for apparel and textiles in Kenya. One of their biggest collective roles is the production of school uniforms for the country. In early 2019, the Government of Kenya partnered with HEVA to conduct a research project and create a pilot centre of excellence which aims to enable micro, small and medium-size fashion and apparel producers and retailers within Nairobi’s Uhuru Market to address the particular constraints of the garment and textile value chains within the market ecosystem.
The British Council is supporting the research and business support plans of this project. Learn more about their progress here
Fashion Revolution Kenya
As the “Pro-Fashion Protestors”, Fashion Revolution is a global movement that celebrates the positive influence of fashion whilst also scrutinising industry practices and raising awareness of the fashion industry’s most pressing issues. They aim to encourage people to create a more ethical and sustainable future for fashion, by educating people on the realities of the fashion industry and highlighting the possibilities for positive change. Fashion Revolutionaries Kenya have mapped out Kenya’s fashion value chain to identify policy gaps that can benefit from sustainable practices, with an aim to create positive change in the global fashion industry. In partnership with The British Council, a research paper has been published, it’s an analysis of the potential use for alternative fibres and natural dyes in Kenya, looking at 2 categories: protein, fish and animal fibres like wool, fish skin leather and silk and plant fibres like hemp, nettle, sisal, pineapple, coconut coir, banana, hyacinth and bamboo.
The findings of this recently completed paper are highly anticipated as it comes at a time when COVID-19 has disrupted international supply chains, specifically China, the world’s largest manufacturing hub. The Kenyan Textile and Apparel industry is at a pivotal stage as there are many governmental initiatives set up to grow the sector.
The industrial shutdown may have a silver lining for climate change as global populations have had no choice, but to source locally and travel less.
~ Wangari Nyanjui, Chair, Fashion Revolution Kenya