Responsible Fashion
-
Grace Wanjala: Sewing her own future
Grace Wanjala began school as a young girl, but was forced to abandon her studies at age 14, due to a lack of funding. Grace, now 22 years old, remembered putting away her school uniform at Class Eight, knowing in the back of her mind that she would never put it on again. This was a real blow for the young girl, but Grace had no one to pay her school fees expect for her father who had lost his job. Grace accepted her situation and tried to make the best of it. Regardless of the setbacks, Grace had hope that there would still be a great future for her…
-
Working side by side with SOKO-Kenya
A new addition has come to the Wildlife Works Export Processing Zone (EPZ): SOKO! SOKO Kenya is a clothing production workshop for the export market that aims to create sustainable, fair employment and offer training and skills to some of Kenya’s poorest people. SOKO promotes community-driven, ethical, environmental, fashion-driven garments to the international fashion industry. SOKO first began producing women’s fashion for the European, U.S. and South African markets in 2009. Set up by Founder and Managing Director Joanna Maiden, the factory had been operating from Ukunda, Coast Providence. With increasing production orders, construction of the new factory at the Wildlife Works EPZ started earlier this year and Joanna’s team…
-
Wildlife Works Screen Printing Facility
For the first time in our 14 year history, we have brought our screen printing in-house with its own dedicated building at our Kasigau Corridor REDD+ project. It currently employs 4 local Kenyans with full benefits. * * * * * * * * * About Wildlife Works Carbon: Wildlife Works is the world’s leading REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation), project development and management company with an effective approach to applying innovative market based solutions to the conservation of biodiversity. REDD+ was originated by the United Nations (UN) to help stop the destruction of the world’s forests. Over a 15 year history Wildlife Works established a successful model…
-
Meet Betty, Wildlife Works’ Enterprising Soap Maker
By: Cara Braund- Conservation Intern- 12th November 2011 In an area such as the Kasigau Corridor, where there are thousands of people out of regular work, Wildlife Works has been instrumental in providing jobs for hundreds of people in different sectors of the company. In order to reach as many families as possible, one important factor has been the diverse range of employment available. If you’re not made to be a cutter or sewer in the eco-factory, maybe you could be a ranger, or put those green fingers to use in the greenhouse or use your knowledge of mechanics in the workshop. Furthermore, by training local residents in the different…
-
Eco-Factory Expansion Progress
By JAMIE HENDRIKSEN-Carbon Operations Manager- 7th July 2011 The construction for our second eco-factory at our Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project has begun. All supporting pillars have been cast, ready to receive the roof trusses and verandah shades. Roof trusses have been fabricated and are ready to go up as soon as the floor slab is laid. Drainage, plumbing, steel ring beams and ventilation are all ongoing. The slab for the factory floor is being laid today. Reinforcing mesh and spacers have been laid. The entire slab has to be poured in one day to avoid cracking from temperature changes. Forty locally employed staff are working on site today to ensure…
-
Production on our relaunch collection has begun!
For the first time in Wildlife Works’ 14 year history, we brought our screen printing process in house, making us the largest screen printing operation in Kenya outside of Nairobi. And here it is: I was reminded of power of pure human skill as I watched these guys produce what machines here in the west do in seconds. Peter, our color specialist, was able to mix and match a pantone color swatch by eye with 80% accuracy, on the FIRST try. Since we didn’t have running water at this site, the newly exposed screens had to be sprayed off by hand with a handheld spritzer bottle. Not one guy complained…
-
Wildlife Works Factory
July 10, 2010: by Joyce Hu, Creative Director for Wildlife Works Retail: I started today working with the factory manager, Daniel, to develop the patterns I want to launch with this winter. I briefly met the women working in the factory – there are about 10 right now. They are busy with a big order for ASOS in London. The factory has produced product for many of the big eco fashion labels such as Loomstate and EDUN. White label business is always less desirable because their work is dependent on the clients’ pricing, business, etc. The main goal of this factory is to create and sustain skilled jobs for the…
-
Community Newsletter September 2010
This is our third newsletter of a series in which we would like to take the opportunity to inform our neighbours and the local community about the activities of Wildlife Works Carbon (WWC). WWC is an exciting new arm of Wildlife Works that aims to access the growing global carbon market for the benefit of Kenyans. WILDLIFE WORKS FACTORY EPZ In conjunction with Wildlife Works Carbon, based on Rukinga Ranch is Wildlife Works Factory EPZ. The EPZ was setup in 2001 and the construction of a clothing factory was started. The aim of the factory was to create local employment opportunities, and training for local craftsmen and women. Mr. Daniel…
-
Karibu
Karibu means Welcome in Swahili. This is the pre pre relaunch blog of Wildlife Works, which was started in 1997 by the visionary Mike Korchinsky. Mike’s first trip to Africa for vacation 14 years ago launched him into a lifetime’s work to save Africa’s wildlife. He saw a cycle of violence between the rangers, poachers and wildlife that prevented any chance for long-term, sustainable solutions for the community. He quit the consulting company he started and sold, purchased 80,000 acres of land in East Kenya to build his vision for Wildlife Works, an apparel production company advancing economic and social solutions for communities where wildlife survival is threatened. Currently, over…