Africa Textile Talks 2024 lineup announced

Source: twyg.co.za

This annual event, which examines how fashion and textiles can exist in harmony with nature, welcomes Nkwo Onwuka, Josephine Musaka, Pamela Kyagera, Sammy Oteng, Muktar Dodo, Johanna Bramble and others to the stage.

On Thursday, 15 August 2024, an impressive lineup of Pan-African makers and thinkers will address the challenges of moving the textile industry forward - often by reflecting on the past - into a positive post-fossil fuel future.

Johanna Bramble. Image supplied

West African-based artist and textile designer Johanna Bramble, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) representative for Africa Muktar Dodo, Nigerian fashion designer Nkwo Onwuka, veterans in arts and crafts in Uganda Josephine Musaka and Pamela Kyagera, and designer and activist Sammy Oteng, will join a slew of local speakers.

Looking keenly at developments in the fashion and textile industry, Master of Ceremonies Africa Melane (host of the Early Breakfast show on CapeTalk and 702) will lead this event as it imagines a future that is sustainable and regenerative for people, businesses, the industry and Earth.

Sammy Oteng. Image supplied

Representing Ghanian nonprofit The Or Foundation - which works at the intersection of environmental justice, education and fashion development - will be Sammy Oteng, a Nigerian fashion designer, activist and community engagement manager of the foundation’s No More Fast Fashion Lab.

For more than a decade, Oteng’s work has involved repurposing secondhand clothing while attaching great integrity to topics centred around socio-political statements, neo-colonialism, sexuality and gender fluidity. As part of the foundation’s team, Oteng considers the vast amount of clothing waste that ends up in the natural environment and landfill sites in Ghana and helps develop circular product design, waste management solutions and skills training.

Nkwo Onwuka. Image supplied

Keynote speaker Nkwo Onwuka, founder and director of NKWO, has emerged as one of Africa’s leading fashion designers and a champion of sustainable fashion globally. Through her brand, she collaborates closely with regional artists and communities - particularly women - to preserve cultural heritage and offer sustainable livelihoods, while also paving the way towards innovative techniques that reduce textile waste.

Onwuka’s devotion to sustainability extends beyond fashion, encompassing conscious consumption and preservation of the environment.

Muktar Dodo. Image supplied

Nigerian Muktar Dodo, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) representative for Africa, is dedicated to promoting organic and sustainable textile practices across the continent.

Dodo plays a pivotal role in building and strengthening the sustainable textile production and value chain in Africa through GOTS certification, facilitating collaborations between various stakeholders to ensure environmentally friendly and socially responsible manufacturing processes. His efforts foster a robust market for certified organic products in Africa, protect the environment, support local communities, and ensure safer products for buyers.

Josephine Musaka and Pamela Kyagera are leaders in the field of textiles, craft, and culture in Uganda and the founding partners of Mekeka Design, a collaborative studio in Kampala.

Musaka is a researcher, academic and an expert on Ugandan crafts, as well as the owner of AKA Gallery in Kampala, while Kyagera has extensive experience in the crafts sector in Uganda, bringing her marketing and business expertise to support each artisan she works with.

Artist and textile designer Johanna Bramble is another international speaker. After more than 10 years of living and working in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and Dakar, Senegal, the Paris-born creative has embraced the rich weaving traditions of the region along with modern features.

She creates timeless and contemporary pieces of textile art that incorporate materials such as plastic, metal, leather, glass beads, and even fibre optics. Through her eponymous label, Bramble continues to inspire new ideas and designs, making fabrics for accessories, lighting, furniture and decor.

Local speakers

South African industry experts presenting alongside the international visitors include Ayanda Bam, Lindsay Humphreys, Krelyne Andrew, Beauty Mokgwamme, Rupert Koopman, Caroline Nelson and Deon Saayman.

With more than 15 years of experience, Bam, a hemp expert and visionary leader in the textile industry is known for his commitment to sustainability and innovation. As the co-founder and CEO of TexTTan Industries, 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), Bam has been instrumental in the development of eco-friendly and ethically sourced textiles.

In a panel discussion, Humphreys from Rethink Lab, Simphiwe Fani, an angora goat farmer and H&M South Africa CEO Nelson will delve into the topic of regenerative farming. With 15 years of experience, Humphreys has become a leader in sustainability, particularly in the intersection of agriculture and fashion.

A former general manager at Mohair South Africa and the sustainability manager at BKB, she now fills the role of 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.

Fani is a dedicated farmer based in Somerset East, Eastern Cape. With his brother Linda Fani, he expanded their family business to Angora goat farming in 2014 with support from the Mohair Empowerment Trust. Today, the Fani brothers are proud farmers certified under the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) and Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS).

Nelson, who is pioneering the move towards sustainability within the local H&M brand, has led programmes such as regional manufacturing collaborations and efforts to upskill and hire individuals with disabilities. From her base in Cape Town, she continues to push the limits of what is feasible in retail by encouraging teamwork and making sure sustainability remains rooted in the company’s ethos.

Saayman, CEO of Cape Wools SA, is a seasoned figure driving sustainable change in the textile industry. Starting out as financial manager at Mohair South Africa before being promoted to general manager and ultimately managing director, Saayman 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 July 2020, when Saayman was general manager for Cape Wools SA, the company launched the Sustainable Cape Wool Standard (SCWS). In July 2022 he was appointed CEO.

Andrew, the head of Sappi's dissolving pulp product, Verve, and a member of the company's Group Sustainability and Global Technology Management Teams, is a multi-award-winning sustainability expert.

In 2021, she led a blockchain traceability project for Sappi in partnership with a key customer and was nominated by Forbes for its Global Top 50 list.

A dedicated advocate for the mohair Industry who is deeply passionate about improving the lives of farmers and working with Angora goats, Mokgwamme joined the Mohair Empowerment Trust in 2018 – which she now heads – when she realised her ambition to support emerging farmers. Her daily efforts to promote the industry and assist the farming community underscore her unwavering commitment to her mission.

Lastly, award-winning South African botanist and conservation consultant Rupert Koopman will join the lineup of speakers. With a background in government and the NGO sector, Koopman is passionate about the protection and appreciation of the country's flora now and for future - especially in the fynbos biome - and raising awareness of our botanical wealth.

Together, these speakers will enlighten the 2024 African Textile Talks audience with the way forward into a positive post-fossil fuel future. The talks take place at Workshop17 at the V&A Waterfront and Thursday’s programme is followed by site tours on the Friday and a Slow Fashion Festival taking place over the weekend.

Partners and supporters of this year’s talks include Sappi, Polo South Africa, V&A Waterfront, Cape Wools SA, Mohair South Africa, H&M, Merchants on Long, Hemporium and Global Organic Textile Standard.

Essential information for African Textile Talks 2024

15 August 2024: Africa Textile Talks at Workshop17, Watershed, V&A Waterfront
16 August 2024: Tours of textile factory and studios
17 August 2024: Slow Fashion Festival with V&A Watershed and 44 Stanley, V&A Waterfront, 10h00 to 14h00

Tickets are available online at www.quicket.co.za