Changing the narrative on Africa.
In The Gambia’s Central River Region, women are growing, spinning and weaving cotton into products that earn income and sustain cultural traditions. Their work offers a starting point for a wider revival of a sector that once supported thousands of rural farmers.
Africa exports up to 98% of its raw cotton, yet its designers and manufacturers struggle to source materials and expand production. At CANEX in Lagos, Nigeria, industry voices and the newly launched Africa Made It campaign highlighted what it would take to keep more manufacturing, jobs and income on the continent.
Visionary creators, including Charlemagne Andoche Amoussou, founder of the Lolo Andoche brand, are giving the traditional Beninese Kanvô cloth new uses in fashion and interiors. Once associated with the royal court of Abomey, the handwoven textile is reaching contemporary wardrobes as designers turn cultural heritage into local economic opportunity.
Natural dyes, weaving, beads, and traditional designs have all been passed down through centuries in Africa, influencing how communities develop, wear, and preserve their cultural identity.
Nzube Ndiokwelu is harnessing technology to produce visuals that express Igbo culture and identity, one of thousands of African creators exploring new ways to tell African stories and conserve cultural heritage.
Guinean textile entrepreneur Mariama Camara is moving from promoting African textiles globally to building the institutions behind the industry. Through the Institute of African Textiles, she is pushing for greater ownership, protection and commercial value for the knowledge held by African makers.
For years, Umazi Mvurya worked as a digital creator. Then her thoughts turned to Lamu, a historic town on Kenya’s northern coast. Now, thanks to Lamu’s rich history of woodwork, her hand-crafted art evokes this gloriously creative East African tradition.
Women cotton farmers in Zimbabwe’s Shamva district are turning to sewing and collective savings to diversify their incomes and adapt to a changing climate. Making school uniforms and taking clothing orders, they are creating earning opportunities beyond the crop they call their “white gold”.
At Gishora, young apprentices learn Burundi’s royal drumming tradition, recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, from masters who began as children themselves.
Faso Dan Fani, Burkina Faso’s distinctive woven cloth, is evolving with the growth of organic cotton, efforts to combat counterfeiting and improvements in weaving techniques. The women who have sustained this industry for generations are adapting to new quality requirements and seeking better returns for their work.