AFRIEK

The AFRIEK clothing is made in their own workshop in Kigali. A team of tailors and seamstresses are employed fairly and ethically in this way. Because production takes place in their own atelier, AFRIEK also has full control over working conditions and fair wages.

AFRIEK also collaborates with various production partners. The brand forms solid relationships with their suppliers and strictly monitors that these producers work fairly and ethically, even visiting the producers themselves. In this way, the brand aims to provide a safe and healthy working environment throughout their whole supply chain.

One of these partners is Mantis World. AFRIEK works with them to produce the T‑shirts. The T‑shirts are made in Tanzania and printed by Loenatix, a social workshop in the Netherlands. Part of the proceeds go to organisations fighting racism in the Netherlands.

AFRIEK also works with production partners in Tanzania and Rwanda for the materials of the dresses. The cotton is grown by social organisations in Tanzania and processed by a local producer in Kigali.

AFRIEK works not only ethically but also ecologically! The clothes are made entirely of organic cotton. The brand is even exploring options to use organic cotton sewing threads instead of the recycled polyester thread currently used.

The cotton comes from cooperatives in India and Tanzania. These organisations support cotton farmers to grow organically in a way that is good for the planet. These organisations are also OEKO-Tex certified. This certificate guarantees that the clothes do not contain harmful chemicals. 

AFRIEK goes even further in their sustainable approach. The brand chooses more sustainable solutions for every part of their designs. The labels are made of organic cotton, the T‑shirts are printed with water-based ink and the brand uses plastic-free packaging materials. AFRIEK also made the sustainable choice of Corozo nut for the buttons on the Imigongo dress. This material comes from Ecuador and thus has a longer distance to travel, yet it is more sustainable than plastic buttons.

AFRIEK plans to focus even more on sustainable production in the future. The brand is working with their cotton producer to improve production and purify waste water more. The brand is also exploring the possibilities of replacing buttons with a more local, natural material as well as plans to recycle old AFRIEK garments in a circular way.

AFRIEK uses nearly exclusively organic cotton in their clothes, this is sustainable and easy to recycle. Only the sewing threads are made of rPET (recycled polyester). The brand is exploring the possibilities of replacing these threads with a natural material. 

In the future, when the clothes are 100% organic cotton, and coloured with natural dyes, they will also be biodegradable. In this way, AFRIEK wants to prevent their designs from contributing to the global waste problem.

AFRIEK has a fairly short supply chain as the materials are produced in the vicinity of their workshop in Rwanda. In addition to their atelier in Rwanda, AFRIEK also has its own location in the Netherlands.

The cotton comes from Tanzania and is processed in its neighbouring country Rwanda, where it is used to make the dresses. The T‑shirts are made by a production partner in Tanzania and then printed and sold in the Netherlands.

AFRIEK is strongly committed to animal welfare, the collection has recently even gone completely vegan!

The horn buttons on the dresses were replaced by wooden buttons. These buttons are made from the Corozo nut from Ecuador, a sustainable and plant-based alternative produced without the use of chemicals.

AFRIEK designs and produces small collections. The clothes are made in small batches and can also be made-to-order. This means that the garment only goes into production when an order is placed. In this way, the brand combines pre-orders and orders from shops to avoid overproduction.

The AFRIEK collection consists of unique and colourful designs. The brand collaborates with artists to bring together different cultures and styles. In this way, the brand wants to contribute to a more inclusive society.

The AFRIEK collection is completely transparent. The brand shares all the producers they work with and provides information about the materials they use. Moreover, on the label of each garment, you can even see who specifically made it.