5 African Brands Changing Lives Ethically and Promoting Sustainable Fashion

More than ever, brands and consumers need to think more sustainably in order to protect the environment.

Since fashion designers and other creatives with contemporary ideas and a growing commitment to ethical production methods have emerged and are still emerging, African design is currently gaining ground.

It quite impressive to witness a generation of socially conscious style influencers who are promoting African fashion. Numerous brands are exploring sustainability from a distinct angle, promoting local production and materials, and experimenting with ways to add value to the enormous amount of secondhand clothing.

We have curated below, 5 Black-Owned fashion brands promoting sustainable and ethical fashion.

Anyango Mpinga (Kenya)

Instagram@anyangompinga

Anyango Mpinga is an eco-innovator who has embraced the principles of circular fashion to explore radical systems in textile design and promote conscious consumption of apparel and accessories. She founded her eponymous brand in 2015, now renowned for its reimagined white shirts; bold prints; balanced between androgyny and a bohemian aesthetic. As a forward-thinking designer, she is exploring the use of emerging technologies to create biodegradable textiles. Having created a social enterprise, her initiative Free As A Human tackles the humanitarian and environmental crisis of the explorative labor practices in the fashion industry. The initiative supports the work of Awareness Against Human Trafficking (HAART Kenya), the first non-governmental organisation dedicated to combating trafficking in East Africa. Profits are donated to the HAART Kenya shelter for young female survivors of trafficking. Profits are donated to the HAART Kenya shelter for young female survivors of trafficking.

Diarrablu (Senegal)

Instagram @thediarrablu

Innovating for sustainability while showcasing the vibrant colors and distinctive patterns of the African continent through useful and adaptable pieces, the DIARRABLU brand creates clothing using mathematical concepts or algorithms. Strong structural cuts, eye-catching prints, vibrant accents, and eco-friendly solids distinguish the company's collections. Algebraic graphs and geometric transformations are used in their original design process to produce iconic prints, which is the result of inventive Mathematics. The majority of DIARRABLU's items are made in Dakar, Senegal, and the company's values center on sustainability, wanderlust, tradition, and algorithms. The clothing is known for being adaptable, adjustable, and wearable across a range of sizes for a prolonged life cycle because it is made from materials like TENCEL (along with some polyester).

Laurenceairline ( Côte d'Ivoire & France)

@laurenceairlineofficial

This clothing line was launched by a Côte d'Ivoire designer who received her education in France. She uses both traditional and locally produced fabrics as well as eco-fabrics that are state-of-the-art technology. France, Portugal, and Côte d'Ivoire serve as the brand's primary production hubs.

Sekbi Bogolan (Mali)

@sekbi_bogolan

Bogolan, a Mali-specific, age-old method of printing textiles with mud, is used to create SEKBI's ready-to-wear designs. Being an environmentally friendly dyeing process, this pigment printing technique uses very little water. The brand sources high quality cotton from Italy and other parts of Europe. Its long-lasting pieces are entirely made-to-order, reducing unnecessary textile waste.

LemLem (Ethiopia)

@anyangompinga

By partnering with artisan studios that use traditional African motifs and techniques to create beautiful, modern designs, this brand founded by Ethiopian model Liya Kebede carries sundresses, beach dresses, caftans, and tunics that are made mostly from natural cotton. Five percent of lemlem’s direct sales, proceeds from special collaborations, and donations advance the mission of lemlem Foundation, lemlem’s philanthropic arm, which helps women artisans in Africa thrive by connecting them to healthcare, education, and pathways to jobs.