NatWest Back Her Business has provided £5,000 of match funding
Kitambaa
Newquay, England, United Kingdom
Aim
We make custom garments using pre-loved denim and vibrant African fabric! Proud to be part of the sustainable fashion movement.
We make custom garments using pre-loved denim and vibrant African fabric. Proud to be part of the sustainable fashion movement. Embracing diversity, feel good vibes and we invite you to join the Kitambaa crew!
Did you know that the fashion industry is the second largest polluter after oil and that UK consumers alone sent 300,000 tonnes of textiles to be burned or dumped in landfill in 2018....shocking isn't it.
We are very proud that sustainability sits at the forefront of every aspect of Kitambaa as we want to play a part in making fashion circular, increasing awareness and encouraging as many of you to join us on this mission.
We believe that good quality clothing can be given a new lease of life and our aim in creating these custom garments is that they will be treasured.
Where the magic happens...
It starts by selecting high quality second hand denim items online. We always aim to source premium brands (Levi, Gap etc..) to ensure each garment has great style and that guaranteed durability to last a long time.
Once the items arrive at our studio we handcraft every garment; we use our collection of African fabric to create cool pattern designs, then we use traditional sewing techniques to guarantee durability.
We just love that every single item is completely unique, making each member of the Kitambaa crew one in a million.
Our vision...
Our goal for year one is to grow our collection to cater for the festival crowds of 2021. We will be creating an online shop and wish to have a stall at a number of festivals. To successfully achieve this, we need to:
- Upgrade the 3rd generation sewing machine that is currently being used
- Source plenty of premium denim and a variety of African fabric
- Invest in 100% recyclable packaging and ethical branded labels
- Create a website & book a pitch at 3 festivals
- Form a small syndicate of sewers to increase speed of production
Our longer range goals are to:
- Form partnerships with other creative businesses that use African fabrics in order to acquire their dead stock/waste fabric
- Use our contacts in East Africa to network and form a direct link with an ethically run fabric manufacturer
- Identify and link Kitambaa to a charity that embodies the core values of this brand
The concept...
Kitambaa has been brewing for many years, but due to having time to reflect during lockdown, my husband Gareth and I have been able to give this vision a chance to grow and become a reality.
Kitambaa was, to put it simply, born out of love:
- a love for travelling, particularly across East Africa where Gareth and I first met in 2007
- a love for textiles and making things, especially using the incredible range of patterns and styles African fabric has to offer
- a love for festivals, feeling free and creating unforgettable memories with loved ones
- a love for music, language & cultures from around the world and their wonderful influence on our lives
Kitambaa's style encompasses all of the above and having the opportunity to spread this love far and wide, to all walks of life would be absolutely incredible!
Your support...
Using Crowdfunder to launch the business gives you an opportunity to pre-buy Kitambaa clothing in readiness for all the wonderful sociable events that will be lining up once these unprecedented times are past us. Our calendars will have never looked so full; birthdays, weddings, festivals and so much more!
Materialistically this campaign gives us the chance to buy the right equipment and resources. Emotionally this will help us grow in confidence that our brand and style is out there and has been positively received! With all of this, we will be unstoppable and eternally grateful!
Rewards
SIGNATURE RANGE CHILD DENIM JACKET - £40 (incl. UK postage)
The coolest kid around town! Treat a tiny human to an awesome jacket. Beautiful strips of pattern are added to a front panel and the central back panel to create maximum impact.
SIGNATURE RANGE ADULT SHIRT - £65 (incl. UK postage)
Look the part in our signature range shirt. A go to item for any sociable event! Beautiful strips of pattern are added to a front panel.
SIGNATURE RANGE ADULT JACKET - £85 (incl. UK postage)
Look and feel sensational in this eye-catching garment! Beautiful strips of pattern are added to a front panel and the central back panel to make heads turn.
SUBTLE RANGE ADULT SHIRT - £45 (incl. UK postage)
Denim shirts with a slight twist by having a pattern on one pocket. A unique shirt that can be dressed up or down!
SUBTLE RANGE ADULT JACKET - £60 (incl. UK postage)
A wardrobe essential with a hint of vibrancy by having a pattern on one pocket. A one of a kind jacket to jazz up your day or night look!
Please note:
- You are pre-buying an item that you will choose from our online shop once it's up and running.
- Once you have pledged, we will send you a unique code along with some options for you to choose (gender, denim colour, size) so we tailor our online shop and you get to select your favourite design.
- There will be at least a 3 month lead time for us to create and launch our online shop, but don't worry, we will keep you up to date with all of this on our social media. It'll be worth the wait and we'll all look be looking fabulous for Christmas & New Year parties.
- International postage can be done for an extra cost (send me a message and we can work it out)
- If you have any good quality denim shirts or jackets that you wish to donate please drop us a message.
Pledge to be a part of the Kitambaa crew, choose a unique gift for someone special or simply donate to support our venture!
CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA & SPREAD THE WORD
In the coming weeks we will be getting up to speed with our social media platforms so keep up-to-date with us and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
@kitambaa.clothing
Thank you so much for your support!
Big love from Jess and Gareth x
p.s If you have any questions about our rewards, how to donate denim or simply want to know more about Kitambaa, please get in touch! We'd love to hear from you!
This project successfully funded on 13th August 2020