In African fashion, what does sustainability actually mean? AjePomaa Oklah (creative director and founder of AjePomaa Design Gallery), whose designs exemplify ethical craftsmanship, provided answers to questions in the most recent episode of “Fashion Wednesday,” hosted by Diana Edinam Kumbey.
Oklah explained the inherent advantages of sustainability in the African fashion landscape: “In Africa, it is very easy to be sustainable. In the West, it is quite challenging because you are working against volume.” She highlighted the unique craftsmanship behind African textiles, stating, “A lot of our textures like the Batik and other woven fabrics takes time to make. It’s craftsmanship. When you’re wearing it, you’re proud to wear it because it’s authentically us as Africans.”
The designer also addressed the complex issue of dead stock and global textile waste. “We bring in a lot of dead stock from factories,” she explained. “Our women go to factories and ask, ‘What do you have?’ So we sort of offload the factories to produce for our market, which in a way, is sort of upcycling.”
However, Oklah is not blind to the environmental challenges. She warns of the potential dangers of unchecked textile waste: “After a while, countries like Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, and China had to literally send containers back because it was polluting their world.” She calls on the African fashion industry to be more aware of the environmental impact, emphasizing the need to be cautious about accepting dead stock, despite attractive price points.
“As much as we want the dead stock because they are being sold to us at reasonable price points, we need to be very well aware of what it is doing to our environment,” Oklah stressed.
The show highlighted the delicate discussion of sustainability in African design, combining pride in traditional craftsmanship with a need for more environmental awareness.
“Fashion Wednesday” continues to spotlight stories that matter in the fashion world. Tune in every Wednesday at 6:30 pm on MX24 TV for more inspiring conversations and transformative ideas.
Find her episode here: https://youtu.be/BC_TShhjees?si=A0Hlub8s1MpLHKu4
