| Aluminuim |
A non
ferrous metal, aluminium is easy to work with
and makes a great base for accessories and
jewellery. Note that most of the aluminium we
have access to is quite rustic in look. |
| Amber |
Fossilised tree resin of rich colour and natural beauty - can be used to make ornamental objects and jewellery. |
| Banana fibre |
Revered
in Ugandan culture, this strong, natural material is used traditionally
for cooking, utility tools etc and offers many possibilities for
contemporary design, from using cut-outs to weaving. |
| Bark cloth |
Bark cloth is 100% natural and environmentally
friendly in its harvesting and processing
methods. It is produced from the inner bark of
the mituba trees and is important to the
heritage of Uganda. |
| Batik |
Originally
from Java, batik is a traditional craft that uses a manual wax-resist
dyeing technique. Widely-mastered by African artisans, we work with a
number of groups who an supply a wide choice of batik fabrics. |
| Bees wax |
Wax
can be used in a number of ways: to make moulds, paper or natural
polishes for home ware etc. Many groups using wax also produce candles,
with the possibility of applying new design technique. |
| Bones |
We
work with several groups of artisans dealing strictly with cow horn and
bone. Their work is 100% manual and they can provide buttons, beads and
jewellery in many different shapes, sizes, colours. |
Bone China
|
The
groups dealing in bones have plenty of bone dust to reuse.
The best way to do this - that also keeps the
workshops clean and healthy - is
to recycle the dust into bone china products. |
| Bottle tops |
Recycled
bottles tops can be re-used to make various jewellery parts as well as
fixing for accessories such as studs, links etc. |
| Brass |
An
alloy of copper and zinc, brass is a heavy duty
metal that can be used for accessories, fixtures
etc. Most of the brass we source is recycled,
with a prevalence of old padlocks. |
| Coconut shell |
These
shells, largely available from the Indian Ocean coastline, make bowls
and are used in the manufacture of various crafts, including buttons
and other decorations for accessories. |
| Coffee beans |
One
of most important resources in East Africa, coffee beans can also make
great natural beads for jewellery and other accessories. |
| Copper |
Like
the brass, our copper is mostly recycled from
spare parts. Quite soft and malleable, this
material is ideal for accessories and jewellery. |
| Cotton |
We
have access to different sources of cotton, in large quantities, both
in Eastern and Western Africa. Our network of producers deal with
organic and conventional cotton, woven and knitted. |
| Crochet |
We work with many groups of crochet artisans,
from nuns to slum-dwellers. All can deliver
crochet work in various styles, not just from
conventional cotton but also using recycled
materials such as plastic bags. |
| Embroidery |
We
work with different groups of artisans skilled in both manual and
machine embroidery and capable of replicating even complex and
high-quality designs. |
| Glass |
Great
for jewellery and home wares, the glass workshops we work with are open
to new possibilities in terms of design and innovation. |
| Hand painting |
We work with many fine artists
in different regions of East Africa who can paint on fabric, canvas, ceramic, wood and more. |
| Knitting
|
East
Africa is home to many groups of women knitters, skilled at making all
kinds of knitwear garments and accessories using conventional or
innovative materials. |
| Leather |
In
addition to vegetable tanned leather, we also work with
different tanneries dealing with conventional
leather, ideal for bags, wallets etc. We also
organise regular workshops with experts in
leather work. |
| Leather off-cuts
|
Usually discarded after the first use, leather off-cuts can be reused
in many ways. However, they are usually irregular in shape, thus ideal
for either small pieces of accessories or for stitching together. |
| Metal work |
The
network of metal workshops, mostly in urban areas, is great for welding
and designing jewellery and other decorative objects using scrap metal
pieces. |
| Natural paper |
Made
using resources bought from neighbouring farms or collected from local
markets, paper can be thin and smooth or thick and rugged and even dyed
naturally using onion peels, indigo etc. |
| Netting |
Recycled from many different sources - mosquito
nets, tents, fishing equipment and so on - our
netting comes in all kinds of forms and can be
reused in many innovative ways. |
| Ostrich shell |
The ostrich produces beautiful, extra large eggs. Shells and fragments can be cleaned and used for various designs. |
| Pet bottles |
Hazardous
for the environment, discarded PET bottles are collected, cleaned and
stored. Can be re-used in many original and innovative ways. |
| Plastic straws |
Plastic
straws recycled from neighbouring Coca Cola factories are cleaned,
flattened and woven together to make a strong and durable fabric that
can be used to make bags, accessories, table ware etc. |
| Raffia |
Raffia fibres can be used in many ways: in
Africa, this is used to make ropes and sticks.
Roof coverings are made out of its fibrous
branches and leaves. |
| Recycled glass |
We
work with workshops specialized in recycling glass - mainly discarded
soda bottles – coming in a range of colours, melted down at over 1000
degrees and blown back into a range of objects. |
| Recycled plastic
|
A
serious hazard in urban areas, recycled plastic can be reused in a
number of innovative ways: using it as it is or knitting, weaving and
even plaiting it. |
| Screen painting |
Screen-printing
has been introduced as a new technique to a dozen groups in Kenya.
After extensive training, these groups can offer a wide range of
screen-print work. |
| Silver |
We
work with groups of silversmiths and producers
of silver
accessories. Not easy to source in
very large quantities, the silver we source is
rustic-looking, yet a very noble metal for
jewellery making. |
| Soapstone |
A
soft and light stone that can easily be carved and shaped into
different objects, soap-stone is a popular material in African
craftsmanship and can be reinvented in innovative ways. |
| Tent canvas |
Gathered
from different international organizations, these are both
environmentally sustainable materials that can be re-used in numerous
ways to create fashion garments or accessories. |
| Tie & dye
|
We work with large community groups who have
mastered many tie & dye techniques and can
produce a range of printed materials with an
extensive range of prints. |
| Tins |
Old
food tins are a great resource in Africa and the
groups we work with, mostly in slums, have all
kinds of techniques to reuse them in useful
ways. |
| Tubes |
Recycled tubes are soft, durable and waterproof. Like tyres but much more flexible, inner tubes
make great parts for accessories and bags. |
| Tyres
|
Old
parts from discarded tyres can have a new life in the shoe-making, as
they make a durable, comfortable and cost-effective soles for sandals
and other types of shoes. |
| Veg tan leather |
In
collaboration with another ITC project, PACT II, we are working with a
network of leather producers, including over 50 competent groups
dealing with vegetable tanning on cow, goat and fish skins. |
| Vinyl
|
Vinyl can be re-used to make accessories, in
particular bags, and is an ideal support for
many of the decorations found in community
groups as well as embroidery. |
| Weaving |
Our artisans can weave sisal, raffia, banana
leaf, plastic straws and many other materials.
Great for bags, accessories, home ware and more. |
| Zinc |
Like
most the metals we source in East Africa, the
zinc is quite rustic-looking and ideal to make
small parts for accessories and bags, and of
course jewellery. |