Africa Textile Talks 2024

Nkwo Onwuka, Founder and Director of NKWO | Nigeria

Pioneering in the field of sustainable fashion, Nkwo Onwuka blends contemporary design with traditional African craftsmanship. In her capacity as the creator of NKWO, she has paved the way for innovative techniques that lessen textile waste while preserving Nigeria’s rich tradition of hand-dying, embroidery, and weaving. Through NKWO, she collaborates closely with regional artists and communities—particularly women—in order to preserve cultural heritage and offer sustainable livelihoods. Her devotion to sustainability extends beyond fashion, encompassing conscious consumption and preservation of the environment. Her development of Dakala Cloth, a fabric manufactured from recycled denim using a contemporary strip weaving process, is one of her most notable inventions. The fabric was purchased to be a part of the permanent collection for the Africa Fashion Exhibition at the V&A Museum. Through her consistent international recognition, Nkwo has emerged as one of Africa’s leading fashion designers as she champions the African renaissance. Find out more about NKWO.

Ayanda Bam, Co-Founder and CEO of TexTTan Industries | South Africa

Ayanda Bam is a visionary leader in the textile industry known for his commitment to sustainability and innovation with 15 years of experience. As the co-founder and CEO of TexTTan Industries, his work has been instrumental in developing eco-friendly and ethically sourced textiles. By combining traditional textile techniques with contemporary sustainability principles, his work not only aims to benefit local communities but also to minimise environmental impact, paving prospects for both economic and environmental gains. Ayanda’s deep commitment to sustainability, propels him to actively participate in various talks and projects that support the use, legalisation and expansion of natural fibres such as hemp in South Africa and sustainable techniques in the fashion landscape. As the former CEO of Ivili Textiles, he is the business leader for the National Cannabis Masterplan for South Africa, the president of the Friends of Hemp South Africa (FoHSA) advocacy group and the founding member of the Federation of Industrial Hemp Organisations (FIHO).

Sammy Oteng, The Or Foundation | Ghana

For over a decade, Sammy’s work has involved repurposing secondhand clothing while attaching great integrity to topics centred around socio-political statements, neo-colonialism, sexuality and gender fluidity. Sammy is the senior community engagement manager of The Or Foundation, a fashion designer, and a member of the No More Fast Fashion Lab, a community and circularity lab located in Accra. The team of designers and fabricators at No More Fast Fashion Lab considers the vast amount of clothing waste that end up in landfill sites in Ghana and develops circular product design, waste management solutions and skill training. Find out more about The Or Foundation.

Lindsay Humphreys, Founder and CEO of The Rethink Lab | South Africa

With 15 years of experience, Lindsay Humphreys has become a leader in sustainability, focusing on the intersection between agriculture and fashion. Previously, Lindsay worked as the general manager at Mohair South Africa and as the sustainability manager at BKB Ltd. Currently, she is the CEO and founder of The Rethink Lab, a company that pioneers innovative strategies to promote sustainable practices within the natural fibre industry in South Africa. These strategies help the environment and nearby farmers by bridging the gap between agricultural productivity and ecological health. Among Lindsay’s projects are botanical reserves, biodiversity indices to track ecological impacts, and farmer education on sustainable methods. Find out more about The Rethink Lab.

Johanna Bramble, Artist and Textile Designer | Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal

Johanna Bramble was born in Paris and has carved out a special place for herself in the field of textile design, notably through her eponymous brand. After more than ten years of living and working in Dakar, Senegal, she has embraced the rich weaving traditions of the area while still embracing modern features, creating timeless and contemporary pieces of art. The incorporation of materials such as plastic, metal, leather, glass beads, and even fibre optics, makes Johanna’s work unique. Using a rhythmic approach, a weaver and an assistant work together to create elaborate patterns on the textile. Through her label, she continues to inspire new ideas and designs, making fabrics for accessories, lighting, furniture, and décor. Her work has been included in many projects and exhibits across the world, demonstrating her remarkable impact. Find out more about Johanna Bramble.

Krelyne Andrew, General Manager, Sustainability for Sappi | South Africa

Krelyne is the General Manager, Sustainability for Sappi’s dissolving pulp product, Verve. Her position is a market-facing one, for which is accountable for ensuring customer sustainability requirements are met. She is also responsible for the identification of emerging trends and potential partnerships that support and grow Verve as the fibre of choice for Sappi’s end use markets, which include the fashion sector. Krelyne has been with Sappi for 20 years in various management and leadership roles, including R&D. She is also a member of Sappi’s Group Sustainability and Global Technology Management Teams that guide strategy development and implementation in the regions. She was the regional winner of Sappi’s Technical Innovation Award in 2012, for a product she developed that was new to Sappi’s markets. She received a bronze award for a mill process improvement project that was designed to meet the demanding quality requirements for a key European customer in 2016. Most recently, a blockchain traceability project that she led for Sappi in partnership with a key customer, was nominated by Forbes on their Global Top 50 list in 2021. Find out more about sustainability at Sappi.

Muktar Dodo, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) Representative for Africa | Nigeria

Muktar Dodo plays a pivotal role in building and strengthening the sustainable textile production and value chain in Africa through the GOTS certification, which aids the textile industry in complying with the EU Green Claims Directive, Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and Green Button 2.0. Through GOTS, Muktar facilitates collaborations between various stakeholders, including producers, brands, and certification partners in order to ensure environmentally friendly and socially responsible manufacturing processes, foster a robust market for certified organic products in Africa and help to protect the environment, support local communities, and ensure safer products for buyers. Find out more about Global Organic Textile Standard.

Caroline Nelson, Country Manager and CEO of H&M | South Africa

Caroline Nelson is the CEO of H&M South Africa, a fast fashion brand that is incorporating sustainable methods into its business model. Caroline’s passion for sustainability and diversity has led her to pioneer the growth and vision of the organization across various market bases, including areas such as Colombia and New Zealand. She has also led programs like regional manufacturing collaborations and efforts to upskill and hire individuals with disabilities. Largely because of Caroline’s leadership, H&M South Africa has become a top destination for both customers and staff. From her base in Cape Town, she continues to push the limits of what is feasible in retail by encouraging teamwork and making sure that sustainability remains rooted in the company’s ethos. Find out more about sustainability at H&M.

Deon Saayman, CEO of Cape Wools SA | South Africa

Deon Saayman was born in the coastal city of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in 1969. He holds a B.Comm Accounting degree, as well as a B.Com Honours degree.
Saayman completed his articles at Wolmarans Kruger Chartered Accountants, now known as Moore. After completing his articles, he held positions at a finance broking firm and a pharmaceutical company, before taking up the position of Financial Manager at Mohair South Africa when the company was formed in January 1998. Ten years later he was promoted to General Manager and in 2015 Saayman was promoted to Managing Director. He was one of the driving forces behind the company’s efforts to make the South African Mohair Industry fully sustainable, and in 2009 launched the Mohair Industry’s Sustainable Guidelines.

In February 2019 Saayman was appointed as the new General Manager for Cape Wools SA (CWSA). In July 2020 Cape Wools launched a South African wool industry standard, namely the Sustainable Cape Wool Standard (SCWS). On 1 July 2022 Saayman was appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Find out more about Cape Wools SA.

Simphiwe Fani, Angora Goat Farmer | South Africa

Simphiwe Fani is a dedicated farmer in Somerset East, Eastern Cape. Born in Tarkastad, his passion for farming began early while helping his father with cattle. After staying in Somerset East when his family returned to Tarkastad, Simphiwe joined his brother in cattle farming. In 2007, they moved to Dooring Revier farm, and in 2014, the Mohair Empowerment Trust (MET) provided a loan to start farming Angora goats. Today, they are proud RWS and RMS farmers, employ five workers, and support their families, demonstrating the transformative power of opportunity and perseverance in agriculture.

Rupert Koopman, Botanist | South Africa

Rupert Koopman is an award-winning South African botanist and conservation consultant with a background in both government and the NGO sector, based in Cape Town’s northern suburbs. His interests are in the protection and appreciation of the country’s flora now and for future, especially in the fynbos biome, with raising awareness of our botanical wealth a particular focus. Find out more about Rupert.

Beauty Mokgwamme, Mohair Empowerment Trust | South Africa

Beauty Mokgwamme is a passionate advocate for the mohair industry, dedicated to working with Angora goats and uplifting the lives of farmers. With over 15 years of experience in agriculture, Beauty has focused on small stock production and the practical training of mohair and wool. Her journey began at Grootfontein College of Agriculture, the world’s only institution specialising in Angora Goat farming, where she studied from 2003 to 2005. In 2018, Beauty joined the Mohair Empowerment Trust, where she fulfils her dream of training and empowering emerging farmers to become commercial Angora goat farmers.

A devoted wife and mother of three, Beauty’s commitment to her calling is evident in her daily work to improve the mohair industry and support the community of farmers she serves. Find out more about The Mohair Empowerment Trust.

Kutay Saritosun, Bluesign | Switzerland

Kutay Saritosun is a textile engineer and sustainability aficionado with a passion for the environmental and social impacts of the textile industry. As CSR Senior Executive at ISKO, Saritosun worked in close cooperation with leading sustainability platforms such as SAC and BCI as well as prestigious certification bodies of Nordic Swan and EU Ecolabel. His public speaking engagements included guest lecturing at Parsons School of Design, participating in panel discussions globally and presenting at EU Green Week by the invitation of the EU Environmental Commission. Mentorship activities included CFDA+Lexus Fashion Initiative and teaching the “Sustainable Fashion” seasonal workshops at POLIMODA in Florence, Italy. In 1990, Kutay spent a year in Pretoria, South Africa as a Rotary Youth Exchange student, being hosted by the Rotary Club of Pretoria. He currently serves as Director of Brand Services and Partnerships at bluesign technologies ag, helping to unite chemical suppliers, textile manufacturers and brands to jointly reduce impact on people and environment. Find out more about bluesign.

Josephine Mukasa and Pamela Kyagera, Mekeka Designs | Uganda

Josephine Mukasa and Pamela Kyagera are leaders in the field of textiles, craft and culture in Uganda. They are founding partners of Mekeka Designs in Kampala, a collaborative studio that celebrates and works with Uganda’s rich textile ecosystems. From the barkcloth of the mutuba tree, harvested with care during the nourishing rainy seasons, to the intricate plaited structures woven from enkindukindu palm fronds, the fabrics in their collection respect nature and local and traditional craftsmanship. Josephine is a researcher, academic and expert on Ugandan crafts and owner of AKA Gallery in Kampala. Pamela has extensive experience in the crafts sector in Uganda, lending her marketing and business expertise to each artisan she works with. Find out more about Mekeka Designs.

Africa Melane, Radio Journalist and MC | South Africa

Africa Melane is the host of the Early Breakfast Show on CapeTalk and 702. In this role, he has interviewed leading personalities, business leaders, politicians, thought leaders, community activists and religious leaders from both South Africa and abroad. His real joy is derived from engaging with fellow South Africans on matters that are important to them. Africa Melane studied accounting at the University of Cape Town and went on to do his articles at PwC. He then went on to teach a professional development course to first year students at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town.

Africa Melane serves as the vice chairperson on the board of Cape Town Opera, Africa’s premier opera company. He also filled the position of interim managing director for five months in 2020. He also chairs the panel of judges for the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, South Africa’s oldest and most prestigious theatre awards which reward excellence in professional theatres staged and performed in Cape Town. Find out more about Africa.