WOTE: K.I. Design

WOTE K.I. Design is a Ghana-based fashion collective founded by Renée Neblett and Esi Ellen Otoo. Working within the Kokrobitey Institute, WOTE demonstrates how African craft, weaving heritage, and botanical dyeing can meaningfully shape the future of sustainable fashion. The brand transforms textile waste – from factory offcuts to post-consumer garments. By integrating circular design, natural dyes, and decentralised production, WOTE celebrates ancestral wisdom, community empowerment, and a regenerative approach to making.

Features

Resources and materials

Works primarily with repurposed textiles, including T-shirts, denim, fleece, men’s shirting, and factory offcuts
Post-consumer waste sourced from the Kantamanto Market in Accra
Incorporates natural fibres such as sisal and plant-based dyes from turmeric and kola nut
Follows the 2020 7-0 quality control standard for bulk production
Production manager is GSD-certified

Making and manufacturing

All production takes place at the Kokrobitey Institute or through decentralised, home-based makers
Artisans collaborate directly with the institute through residency-style programmes and workshops
The Esi Sweater production model allows women – especially mothers – to work from home
Handcrafted processes include traditional weaving, botanical dyeing, and panel construction from fabric remnants
Minimal-waste methods: buttons, small offcuts and damaged fabric are repurposed into closures, embellishments, woven panels or new textile strips

Social and cultural

Built on a decentralised business model that empowers local communities through education, craft training, and income opportunities
Social entrepreneurship programme teaches regenerative design, traditional crafts, and textile innovation
School immersion programmes foster early appreciation of cultural heritage and sustainable production
Artist residencies bring global designers to collaborate with local artisans and share skills
Honours traditional Ghanaian knowledge systems, including kente weaving and botanical dyeing

Product and design

Designs consider environmental impact, cultural preservation, and social empowerment
Incorporates artisanal elements, including kente weaving, botanical dyeing, batik, and handwoven textile strips
Signature Esi Sweater is made entirely from waste textiles, using handwoven strips crafted from tiny offcuts
Durability ensured through careful material selection, thread-strength testing, and repeated wash testing
Circular processes prioritise waste diversion; no new materials are produced for current collections
Natural dyeing methods ensure garments remain biodegradable and non-toxic
Each piece is unique, handmade, and valued as wearable art, extending its lifespan and desirability

Packaging and distribution

Packaging uses regenerative, locally sourced materials such as paper, newspaper, wheat and rice sacks, and flexible reused materials
Supports local markets through community-sourced packaging
All pieces are sold directly from the Kokrobitey Institute or through pop-up events in cities including Chicago, Berlin, Washington DC, Boston, New York, Santa Fe and Lisbon

Merchants Pan-African Twyg Award 2025 winner