Transforming discarded fabrics into wearable art

Annette Namakasa (25), Luthe Kanyanga (23) and Cecilia Mbambo (20) are three determined tailors from Rundu who have taken up the challenge of transforming leftover fabrics into stylish clothes and bags.Located at Rundu’s Community Skills Development Centre (Cosdec), the trio started their initiative in December last year, making what they described as “a beautiful mess” comprising of a wide range of products such as bags, jackets, dresses and trousers.“Last year when we started operating, we had accumulated a lot of leftover fabrics from the uniforms to just normal, ready-to-wear clothes, like dresses and bags that we were made that could no longer be used. Some of the fabrics were just too tiny for us to use again, so we decided to collect them all together to create something because we realised that throwing them away was increasing waste in the community,” Namakasa explained. Optimistic vision Despite their commendable initiative, the trio faces the challenge of low sales.“Customers seem hesitant to buy our products, probably because of the different colours. Our products are not really something that is intriguing to our current clientele,” she said. Namakasa also expressed her optimism about the future: "We understand that people are used to certain fabrics, and our products may seem different at first. But we hope to change that mindset and show that sustainable fashion can be just as stylish and comfortable."She added: “When our innovative creations finally gain widespread acceptance, we really hope to host our own fashion show one day to showcase not only our talents but also our innovative creations. We also hope to move to a bigger and better place where we can have a bigger market for our products."“Business is going a bit slow at the moment, but we are going to keep on trying each and every day. I hope that by the end of this year we can make it closer to our dream – which is to become well known in Rundu for our creations,” said Kanyanga.nikanor@erongo.com.na

Transforming discarded fabrics into wearable art

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-02-21

Please login to leave a comment

Transforming discarded fabrics into wearable art

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-02-21

Please login to leave a comment

Login