A story of sustainability, NKWO is bringing the best of both tradition and also a view into what our future production should look like. With the innovative Dakala cloth NKWO brings a refreshing blue hue to the fashion world.
Founder
Not your typical designer, Nkwo Onwuka’s story to the success for her label is truly beautiful and inspiring. Onwuka’s interests in fashion first arose with her childhood dolls and learning to sew. Most importantly, what began as a childhood hobby, transformed into a successful ethical label. Nkwo Onwuka has been experimenting with means of making cloth for years, and with success both in the United Kingdom and in Nigeria. A dreamlike story has also been carried over to her often free-spirited designs in her collections.
Production
Currently, Nkwo is exploring the Nkwo original: Dakala Cloth. Drawing inspirations from artisanal African weaving techniques, as well as a distaste for the larger fashion industry’s means of production – the Dakala cloth, was born after lots of research. Dakala is a ‘strip weaving technique born from left-over pieces of denim and the sound of traditional weaving techniques. Nkwo is environmentally sustainable, but it also works hard to be economically sustainable by supporting small and local businesses across Africa.
Nkwo’s Creative Director sat down for an interview with Fashion now Africa to talk all about the brand and what motivates her.
Scroll down to read the excerpt from her interview:
How is it possible to stay sustainable and have production spread across Africa?
There are so many definitions in the word ‘sustainable’. Responsible production and consumption, sustainable communities, no poverty, decent work and economic growth – by working closely with artisans and local makers we can create meaningful change on the continent by involving the many parts of the expanding fashion eco-system in a new way of working that is more mindful as it celebrates and preserves the art of creation.
