KAZURI BEAD FACTORY

       KAZURI BEAD FACTORY          

'KAZURI' means small and beautiful in swahili  

Follow the story @  KAZURI online - 

At the moment I am busy working hard on my final collection as I am graduating from London College of Fashion this July, I am collaborating with a womenswear designer and knitwear designer. We are all dedicated to making the collection as sustainable as possible and in doing so I'm excited to document some of the amazing artisans we will be working with. I am beyond happy that I am able to combine my ethical beliefs surrounding fashion and design to create a collective collaboration of craft which treasures design elements from around the world.

I will be updating my blog with different artisan stories and research that is directed at and surrounds the empowerment of craft and income to communities.

A VISIT TO the Kazuri bead factory in KENYA a few years back was something which inspired my interest and dedication to source ethically and explore ways in which to do this. Being in this work environment and watching the craft process from start to finish and the delicacy of such craft was fascinating. A sustainable investment in valued skill such as this showed me just how much impact a steady income can have on people which then spreads outward into a whole community.

m

THE KAZURI MISSION:

'To provide and sustain employment opportunities for disadvantaged members of Kenyan society'

•  Kazuri produces over 5 million beads a year
•  Employing over 300 women - mostly single mothers
• A member of the WFTO world fair trade organisation. 
• EST. 1975 

'As every piece of jewellery is handmade, every one is unique. Indeed, many pieces take on the quirks and trademarks of the individual people who shape the beads, paint them or string them, giving them soul as well as beauty. '

This is what I loved about the Kazuri factory, it embodied everything I love about craftsmanship and the intricacy of each design reflects the person and respects the craftsmanship. 

One of the most important aspects of being a designer to me is responsibly sourcing materials and supporting growing industries from around the world. I believe that when we do this we are making a stand against capitalism not only in fashion but also in human kind.  I hope that by investigating this in my final collection I can go on to research further countries and communities. It is the story that inspires me, the idea of keeping and building human relationships, through the craft and the unity of humanity. I have worked with some amazing established organizations to source components of the collection; one of which being designing my accessories and textiles using the beads from the Kazuri Bead factory.

I hope you enjoy the post and I can't wait to share the developments of the collection including the beads with you! 

ii