Sustainable Fashion Brand in Kenya: Katush
Katush is a Kenyan sustainable fashion brand founded by Katungulu Mwendwa, known for its eco-friendly practices. Katungulu’s design approach thoughtfully challenges traditional views of Kenyan, African, and female identity.
The brand embodies the spirit of an everyday superhero, committed to respecting the environment, people, and African heritage. It caters to the self-aware global citizen seeking quality, versatility, and unique design.
Katush uses water hyacinth and handmade brown paper for packaging, which is crafted by local artisans and supports both environmental and community goals. Collaborating with Artisan Fashion, Katush tracks each order’s social and environmental impact, ensuring transparency.
Sustainable Fashion Brand in Kenya: Hamaji
Hamaji, a sustainable fashion brand in Kenya led by designer Louise Sommerlatte, operates out of Kilifi, Kenya, where local artisans create the brand’s collections.
The name “Hamaji,” which means “nomad” in Swahili, reflects the brand’s deep connection to the culture, natural beauty, and vibrant life of East Africa. By empowering local artisans, Hamaji Studio not only produces unique, culturally inspired textiles but also contributes to the sustainable development of the region.
Hamaji was initially focused on upcycling vintage materials. Along the line, the brand evolved to include sustainable fabrics and is now enhancing its supply chain towards circularity.
The fashion brand’s latest collection features buttons made from repurposed padlocks and collaborates with Wildlife Works for future projects, blending conservation with fashion.
Sustainable Fashion Brand in Kenya: Rummage
Rummage, another sustainable fashion brand in Kenya, sources all its materials from Gikomba, East Africa’s largest second-hand market. The sustainable brand transforms deadstock fabric and pre-consumer waste textiles into everyday essentials.
To meet the unique demands of their designs, Rummage trains its artisans in-house, ensuring they gain skills across various departments, from cutting to assembly. The older, more experienced artisans receive wages based on their experience, including a base salary, bonuses, and benefits.
The company’s production process is rooted in reducing waste by utilizing materials from Gikomba, such as used denim and leather. Because the availability of materials in the market can be unpredictable, Rummage often buys extra stock for future use.
Their long-term vision includes measuring their carbon footprint and becoming a carbon-neutral company within a few years. By rescuing materials from landfills, they aim to create a more sustainable and circular approach, directly contributing to lower carbon emissions.
Sustainable Fashion Brand in Kenya: LilaBare
LilaBare, founded by Ria Ana Sejpal, is a sustainable fashion brand deeply rooted in Kenyan and Indian heritage. Inspired by Swahili architecture and Indian rituals, Sejpal creates clothing using locally crafted regenerative fabrics, natural dyes, and upcycled materials. LilaBare offers compostable pieces with a lifetime of free repairs, fostering a commitment to sustainability and customer engagement.
Rather than competing on price, LilaBare focuses on value and community. The brand hosts immersive experiences where customers can learn about dyeing techniques and enjoy conversations over Masala tea and Indian sweets.
Despite the challenges small ethical brands face in competing with large textile exporters, Sejpal remains optimistic, believing that Kenya has the potential to become a global hub for regenerative textiles and apparel. Through product traceability and community engagement, LilaBare aims to cultivate deep connections with its local audience while championing sustainable practices.
Sustainable Fashion Brand in Kenya: Anyango Mpinga
Anyango Mpinga is a fashion brand dedicated to celebrating Kenyan culture while promoting sustainable fashion, founded by Anyango Mpinga.
As a 2022 honoree of The Conscious Fashion Campaign by the Fashion Impact Fund, Mpinga gained attention with her 3D collection “The Pupil,” created in collaboration with artist Yifan Pu. She sees digital design tools like virtual sampling and 3D modeling as key to streamlining design processes, enabling faster iterations and personalized customization.
Mpinga constantly explores new ideas, including experimenting with sustainable textiles made from invasive plant species in Kenya, such as water hyacinths. Though the project faced challenges due to the complexity of harvesting and maintaining the required machinery, Mpinga learned that technology alone isn’t enough to solve environmental issues—community involvement and sustained commitment are crucial. She believes the solutions to the fashion industry’s wastefulness can be found within Kenyan culture, which has a deep appreciation for resources, people, and heritage.
Sustainable Fashion Brand in Kenya: Moyo Designs
Moyo Designs, named after the Swahili word for “soul,” celebrates craftsmanship, empowerment, and environmental stewardship. The brand combines organic Belgian linen, rich African fabrics, and upcycled materials from Italian fashion houses to create ethically made products in Kenya.
One of its signature items, the Mali Mud Cloth, embodies sustainability and cultural heritage. This handwoven, hand-dyed cotton fabric reflects the artisan’s touch in every stitch and pattern, symbolizing a deep connection to the earth.
Moyo Designs are committed to ethical and sustainable practices. The brand works with small-scale factories and independent artisans around Nairobi, providing fair wages and a supportive work environment.
By fusing the best of European and African influences, this eco-friendly brand in Kenya creates minimalist, timeless pieces that challenge the fast fashion industry. Their products are made from limited-edition fabrics, upcycled materials, and culturally significant African textiles, promoting Kenyan craftsmanship and reducing the garment industry’s environmental impact. The brand encourages consumers to see their purchases as long-term investments rather than fleeting trends.
Sustainable Fashion Brand in Kenya: TUG
TUG is a sustainable, gender-neutral fashion brand making waves in Kenya’s fashion scene. Founded in 2019 by Collins Karanja, TUG focuses on inclusivity, diversity, and creativity. The brand offers a variety of products, including ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, and custom-made options, creating a unique shopping experience that empowers its customers.
With over a decade of experience in the fashion industry, Karanja ensures that TUG’s offerings are always evolving to meet the diverse needs of its clientele. The brand is deeply committed to sustainability, using locally and ethically sourced fabrics from factory off-cuts to reduce waste and pollution.
TUG places a strong emphasis on inclusivity, designing androgynous styles that challenge societal norms and promote self-expression. The brand believes fashion should be accessible to everyone, regardless of gender.
The brand collaborates with local tailors and artisans from underprivileged areas like Kibera in Nairobi, creating job opportunities and highlighting African craftsmanship. Through its work, TUG aims to redefine African-based manufacturing and showcase the talent of local artisans.
Sustainable Fashion Brand in Kenya: Suave Kenya
Founded in 2013 by Mohammed Awale, Suave Kenya transforms discarded fabrics and clothing into stylish leather goods, backpacks, and accessories. Using materials like kitenge and denim, this sustainable fashion brand in Kenya has gained recognition for its sustainable approach, turning waste into fashion-forward pieces that are popular among Nairobi’s style influencers.
Sustainable Fashion Brand in Kenya: NAWIRI
NAWIRI is a sustainable fashion brand in Kenya dedicated to empowering African women with comfortable, stylish clothing that celebrates confidence and self-expression. The brand combines fashion with sustainability, using ethical production practices and designs that honor African culture. NAWIRI is also part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation community, which focuses on sustainable fashion.
Sustainable Fashion Brand in Kenya: SOKO Kenya
SOKO Kenya is another sustainable fashion brand in Kenya committed to people-first principles, offering fair wages and investing in the skills of its employees. The company is also dedicated to environmental responsibility, using solar energy, rainwater collection, and waste upcycling to minimize its environmental impact.
Sustainable Fashion Brand in Kenya: Kenyan Raw
Founded by Morgan Azedy, Kenyan Raw is a fashion brand known for its sustainable and avant-garde designs in Kenya. Azedy, who began his journey in fashion at the Ramongi Institute in Kisumu, combines street style with high fashion to create unique, environmentally-conscious pieces. Azedy uses upcycled fabrics, turning waste materials like old bed sheets and jackets into wearable art.
Sustainable Fashion Brand in Kenya: KikoRomeo
KikoRomeo, a pioneering sustainable fashion brand in Kenya, has played a key role in transforming the local fashion scene since its founding in 1996. The name, meaning “Adam’s Apple” in Kiswahili, reflects the brand’s deep cultural roots. Known for its commitment to sustainability, KikoRomeo focuses on creating timeless garments using handmade and hand-dyed fabrics, as well as hand-carved trims sourced from across Africa.
The brand primarily uses natural fibers like cotton, linen, and silk, and is also exploring innovative materials such as sisal and orange peel fibers. KikoRomeo’s designs are characterized by their effortless elegance and meticulous attention to detail, making each piece a wearable work of art cherished by those who own it.
Photo Credit: Instagram/katush
