Africa Textile Talks 2024 | Discussing Sustainability, Innovation and Circularity

The stats are out. And the results are concerning.
60% of our textiles and clothes are made from fossil fuels. Non-renewable energy sources that are rapidly on the decline. And today their production accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions.

What’s clear is that in our drive to clothe the planet and push profits, we’ve lost something. Not only our connection to the earth, but also a consideration for human welfare. A future that is fair for all. So how do we navigate this? Amidst a sea of change, and global crises, and a clampdown on greenwashing, how do we pave the way for an equitable, post-fossil fuel society?

In August we were pleased to attend the second edition of the Africa Textile Talks hosted by Twyg and Imiloa Collective – a 3-day event that connects an inspiring and resilient network of growers, makers and designers, who are exploring the future of fashion and textiles – through the lens of sustainable, people and planet-harmonious development.

Nkwo Onwuka

A Story of African Craft & Cloth | NKWO

The day began with a presentation by Nkwo Onwuka, Founder and Director of NKWO, a sustainable fashion brand that blends contemporary design with traditional African craftsmanship. Nkwo’s story is one of personal exploration into craft revival, intertwined with the socio-political challenges of her country and the stark realities of a rapidly changing climate.

“At one time, Lake Chad was the largest water resource in Sub-Saharan Africa. Today, it has shrunk by 90%. What is happening? Farmers and fishermen are migrating in search of more fertile areas, causing conflict and pressure on natural resources, culminating in insurgency and displacement. Growing IDP camps are a testament to this,” Nkwo explained.

“My story is also about the fading of craft in Nigeria. An influx of secondhand clothing is flooding the country, raising a critical question: how do we dispose of it? Burning or dumping in landfills? My vision with NKWO was to repurpose waste fabric to weave a new African textile, which I call ‘Dakala cloth.’ The name echoes the sound of the loom.”

Nkwo’s vision led her to start a training programme in an IDP camp. Ten women joined, forming a sisterhood dedicated to learning the craft of weaving and creating beautiful upcycled textiles.

“I’ve named it the ‘Last Square Loom,’ moving beyond the concept of a square—the loom’s shape—to embrace a more circular approach. This shift embodies the need to build community, craft, and work in broader circles.

I draw inspiration from a quote attributed to Antoine Lavoisier: ‘Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed.’ My belief is that we must learn from the past, live in the present, and believe in the future.”

A Fibre for the Future | Ayanda Bam

Ayanda Bam, Co-founder and CEO of TexTTan Industries, shared insights from his 15 years in sustainable textile production and the journey of hemp legislation.

After a lengthy battle, hemp was finally legalised in South Africa in 2024. A crop with over 8,000 years of history, hemp is an underutilised superplant—every part can be used, and it thrives with minimal intervention, ready for harvest in just 120 days. Naturally adept at sequestering carbon, hemp also requires 75% less water than cotton, paving the way for viable cotton alternatives.

Ayanda’s talk, like those that followed, was a powerful reminder of the need to return to indigenous knowledge systems and materials, to live in harmony with the natural world rather than in conflict with it. “It’s reminding us of the things we forget to remember.”

EU Regulations & the Urge for Transparency | Kutay Saritosun

Kutay Saritosun, textile engineer and Director of Brand Services and Partnerships at Bluesign, emphasised the necessity of substantiating environmental claims with credible certifications amid increasing pressure from the EU.

Designers and manufacturers exporting to Europe should be aware of the changing landscape, where transparency is fast becoming a non-negotiable. This shift will be most evident with the introduction of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) within the next two years, offering digital access to comprehensive information about a product’s origin, materials, environmental impact, and disposal recommendations. Additionally, end-of-lifecycle directives are set to take effect in 2030, coupled with stricter regulations on hazardous chemicals, waste pollution, and resource usage.

Amanda Bam, Beauty Mokgwamme, and Deon Saayman

Sustainability and Advocacy in the Mohair Industry | Beauty Mokgwamme & Deon Saayman

Next, Beauty Mokgwamme, representative of the Mohair Empowerment Trust, and Deon Saayman, CEO of Cape Wools SA, explored the intersection of sustainability and empowerment in the mohair industry. Mokgwamme emphasised the Trust’s focus on ensuring a sustainable supply of mohair while championing black economic empowerment.

Saayman highlighted the Sustainable Cape Wool Standard, which now certifies 65% of the mohair clip as sustainable, safeguarding animal welfare, social equity, and environmental interests.

Both speakers stressed the importance of traceability in the supply chain, with initiatives like producer numbers for farmers and a blockchain program funded by Cape Wools. They also discussed the need for lobbying the EU parliament to include lifecycle considerations in legislation, ensuring that sustainable targets can be realistically met.

The quality, and resilience of South Africa’s mohair industry was also deeply encouraging to hear. “This jersey I’m wearing, from Polo, is made with 100% South African Merino wool. This wouldn’t have been possible 2 or 3 years ago,” said Saayman.

Ayanda Bam, Simphiwe Fani, Lindsay Humphreys, and Caroline Nelson.

The Intersection of Fashion and Regenerative Agriculture – Panel Discussion

Caroline Nelson, CEO of H&M South Africa, Lindsay Humphreys, Founder of The Rethink Lab, and Simphiwe Fani, an Angora goat farmer from the Eastern Cape, engaged in a compelling conversation about sustainable practices and the future of the South African wool industry.

“Building supply chains from brand to farmer is crucial. We need to connect with the farmers – we can’t just hit them with the standard. So the vision is to co-design. So far we’ve worked on 85 farms, all of which have undergone regenerative training,” says Lindsay.

The need to connect directly with the source was apparent with the welcomed presence of Somerset East-based farmer, Simphiwe Fani, who shared his experience with H&M’s Biodiversity Restoration and Regenerative Land Management project.

“I was impressed that a big global brand approached me. The project has helped me identify different insects and plants, and improve the farming conditions. The animals are happy, and so the end product is better and can fetch a better price at the market. And the ripple effect? “I’ve taken in one of my children as an apprentice, hoping other kids will see him as an example to follow.”

Caroline reaffirmed H&M’s commitment to sustainability: “Our driving factors are fashion quality, price, and sustainability. Our vision is 100% recycled or sustainably sourced materials by 2030, with progress already at 85%.”

Lindsay highlighted the project’s scalability potential, advocating for a cooperative approach: “This is an open-invite, pre-competitive space. We’re working to ensure other farmers can stay in business. We’re taking in the learnings and asking, ‘What’s next? How do we scale up and commercialise? How do we grow from 85 farms to more?’ We’re used to one-hit- wonders – businesses that swoop in, implement an intervention, take a photo, and leave. But this is a springboard for giving South African farmers global recognition.”

From Forest to Fibre | Krelyne Andrew

Krelyne Andrew, Sappi’s General Manager at Sustainability, emphasised their status as the largest independent producer of dissolving pulp, which can be used to produce viscose fibres.

“We’re growing the trees of the future. They must survive 8 years, and varying dramatic climate conditions. We plant 60 million trees and harvest 20 million to maintain the growth rate – so there is no deforestation. Our trees are rainfed and we use biological controls to manage pests. Cutting-edge technology and fire detection systems are also used.”

The product, used in both fashion and pharmaceutical industries, also offers a possible alternative to cotton. “The yield is much higher – one hectare of trees yields ten times more fibre than cotton. We are also focussed on our carbon footprint – and our efforts have led to a 52% reduction.”

Weaving Nature’s Stories | Josephine Mukasa

“We’re weaving stories through nature-based textiles,” says Josephine Mukasa, researcher, academic, and expert on Ugandan crafts.

Through her collaborative studio, Mekeke Designs in Kampala, Uganda, Josephine celebrates and supports traditional craftsmanship, working with artisans and female weavers in Kampala and Masaka to produce a range of globally marketed homeware textiles that merges innovation with traditional craft.

“Uganda has a vibrant natural textile industry—banana silk, raffia, cotton, palm leaves, and bark cloth from the Mutuba tree—all indigenous. When you harvest bark cloth, the tree doesn’t die and can be harvested every two years for up to 60–80 years. The material, recognized by UNESCO as part of humanity’s cultural heritage, changes colour in the sun and can be darkened further by placing it in a river with clay.”

Mekeka Designs aims for 100% traceability of their materials, ensuring that their production has minimal impact. As Josephine puts it, “Uganda has good rainfall, productive agricultural land, and enough sun – so all the right conditions to sustain this vibrant natural textile industry.”

Circularity, Justice & Advocacy | Sammy Oteng

Sammy Oteng is the senior community engagement manager at The OR Foundation, a leading advocate against the impacts of fast fashion in Ghana. For over a decade, he has focused on repurposing secondhand clothing while addressing socio-political issues such as neo-colonialism, sexuality, and gender fluidity. Drawing attention to Kantamanto, a bustling marketplace in Accra that receives 15 million garments weekly from the Global North, Oteng highlights the community’s resilience, its potential as a model for circularity in fashion, and the broader impact of waste colonialism.

With around 30,000 people working in the Kantamanto Market, many face significant challenges from overproduction and climate change. Oteng emphasises the economic burden on local marketeers who purchase bales of garments without knowing their contents, resulting in a staggering 40% of each bale ending up as waste. He advocates for a justice-led circular economy that prioritises the well-being of those affected by the linear fashion model.

At the No More Fast Fashion Lab in Accra, Oteng works with a team of designers and fabricators focused on developing circular product design and waste management solutions. Their initiatives include community skill training and repurposing textile waste into new products.

Oteng’s talk also highlighted the plight of kayayei—women and girls who work as head porters in Kantamanto, carrying loads of up to 500kg a day, often at the cost of their health. These porters, many of whom are climate migrants from northern Ghana, face severe risks such as scoliosis.

“I think kayayei can be redefined as not just ‘one who carries’ but as ‘a woman who bears the burden of overproduction, overconsumption, and climate change.’”

Woven Worlds | Johanna Bramble

Artist and textile designer Johanna Bramble shared her vision of weaving a new world.

Based in Dakar, Senegal, she blends traditional techniques with contemporary materials such as plastic, metal, and fibre optics through her eponymous brand. Having lived in the region for over a decade, Johanna collaborates with skilled Manjak weavers to create designs that resonate with the heart of the community. She emphasises that “hand weaving is a language on its own,” reflecting the intricate connection between the weaver and their craft.

Passionate about social impact, Johanna advocates for retraining women and creating scholarship programs for children, highlighting the need for a holistic approach to fashion that connects us to nature and each other.

Preserving Our Botanical Heritage | Rupert Koopman

Botanist and conservation consultant, Rupert Koopman, closed out the line-up of talks. Specialising in the fynbos biome, Rupert’s focus is on the protection and appreciation of indigenous flora for future generations. He emphasises the urgency of habitat loss and biodiversity decline, advocating for sustainability that translates to actionable practices.

“Sustainability often gets stuck at a high level, and doesn’t translate to the ground, or onto the plant level. We need to break through that ceiling.”

Through initiatives like the Cape Town Mapper, Rupert explores how to improve traceability in the use of resources, using proteas as a case study to demonstrate the importance of replenishing species and being mindful of our environmental impact.

“What is the meaning of sustainability? To replenish. To be able to pick it again next year.”

He asserts that change is possible, and encourages us to recognize the significance of our botanical wealth in South Africa. “There are 17 megadiverse countries in the world. These countries cover 10% of earth’s surface, but have 70% of the earth’s species. South Africa is one of these.”

As the world rapidly changes, and the push to optimise and build for resilient, planet-safe systems becomes imperative, it’s easy to become apathetic. But connecting with forward-thinkers and industry changemakers energises and inspires the playing field. Thank you to the organiser, Jackie May, Twyg & the Imiloa Collective for providing a platform to connect, collaborate and grow in optimism. Looking forward to ATT 2025!

All images kindly supplied by @thedolliehouse