Vegan leather is made without the use of animal products. It also excludes products tested on animals. So essentially, no animals are ever hurt in the making of vegan leather. Is Vegan Leather more environmentally friendly? Not necessarily. That’s where things can get a little tricky. Vegan leather leaves a lower carbon footprint. However, if…
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The modern eyes of the world have always been laser-focused on a specific type of entrepreneurship. It is usually in the tech space, more often than not clustered around the US fertile ecosystem or in hyper-connected, super developed cities worldwide. We often conveniently forget what entrepreneurship is. More than just creating a business, it is…
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1. Panama Hats are handmade with toquilla straws primarily by indigenous women and in Ecuador, specifically in Cuenca and Montecristi. So it begs the question, why are they called Panama Hats? Because hats handwoven in Ecuador were exported to Panama in the 19th century during the Panama Canal construction, and from Panama, they were shipped…
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“Shanga”, meaning bead in Swahili, is a social enterprise founded in 2007. Today, Shanga’s custom-built workshop is based in Arusha, Tanzania, the gateway to the northern safari circuit. Shanga currently employs over 50 people, 34 of who have a disability. The team’s focus is “Ability over Disability”. Shanga’s artisans are weavers, glass blowers and beaders. They also specialise in…
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Insecta is a “made in Brazil” brand created by purposeful women driven to build a more sustainable world. Their objective is to create new shoes using existing or recycled raw materials. They believe that vegan shoes should be beautiful and, at the same time, have a positive social and environmental impact. “We started out with…
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From time immemorial, grass weaving has been a tradition in Iringa, a city located in the Tanzanian Southern Highlands. Women from the Hehe and Bena tribes have learnt to use ancient techniques passed down from generation to generation to create baskets and bags using Milulu grass, a reed-like swamp grass widely available in the region.…
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Maki is a fair trade certified organisation working to preserve the artisanal wealth of indigenous women in Ecuador. The organisation also provides economic and social advancement opportunities for local artisans living in remote rural communities, turning each artisan into a Maki shareholder. Maki means “Hands” in Kichwa (or Quechua), the local indigenous language. Our work…
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Sidai is a social enterprise currently working with over 100 Maasai artisan women in Arusha, Tanzania. Aside from producing incredible pieces of Maasai Jewellery, Sidai also runs social programs for their artisans on topics such as women’s rights and cattle caring. In a culture where women are often denied an education and financial independence, Sidai…
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WomenCraft is a Fair Trade certified social enterprise located in the northeast of Tanzania. They bring rural women together to facilitate their growth and connect them to global markets. WomenCraft engages and empowers over 600 female artisans. By commercialising their craft, these rural women can raise stronger families, stimulate their communities and inspire the world around…
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It is surprising how many of us pursue perfection whilst grossly overlooking the idea of getting things imperfectly done. We do that not only when it comes to becoming more sustainable but also in every other aspect of our lives. The more we care about an idea, the more we refrain from acting on it,…
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In the spirit of reconciliation, Akili Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community.
We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
