Kitenge Store

When Sian Masawe, Kitenge’s founder, launched her social enterprise and ethical clothing brand in 2014, she had a clear mission – that one day the expressions ‘ethical fashion’ and ‘fair trade’ would become unnecessary, even obsolete. Working in London and New York’s fashion industry showed Sian the extent that unethical practices were impacting workers’ lives in the Far East. Dismayed but motivated, Sian set out to turn-around the lives of people she met after volunteering in Tanzania, East Africa.

Whilst immersed in Tanzania’s rich culture and values, Sian explored the busy local markets and fell in love with the vivid, African wax print fabrics called ‘Kitenge’ (ki-ten-gi) in Swahili. She soon realised that by investing in local industries and building on their expertise, she could develop a range of stylish prints and designs at the same time as helping businesses, communities and families to support themselves. Continue reading our story here: https://kitengestore.com/our-story/