by Nicole Abene


After witnessing firsthand the dismal conditions of the Giota Garbage Slum in Nakuru, Kenya, designer Ryan Clements decided to produce a line of bags that would provide a lifeline for its residents. Home to 140 families and 300 children who forage for food, clothing, and shelter among undulating mountains of trash, the slum is rife with rape, prostitution, abuse, and disease. (More than half its population is HIV-positive.) With Fashion. Love, Africa, Clements supports the handiwork of the women he met, as well as the community at large, by using a material that’s in no short supply: discarded plastic bags. And he roped in some famous friends, including sisters Danni and Jodie Snyder of Dannijo Jewelry above, to help him spread the word.


FASHION. LOVE, AFRICA
The beautiful, handwoven bags are made entirely from materials recovered by the women of the community. After gathering, cleaning, and disinfecting the plastic bags, the artisans hand-weave them into vibrant totes with designs such as stripes, “tweed,” or a faux zebra print. Besides offering a source of income, $10 from every $50 bag sold goes back to the slum by way of projects that help with medical aid, relocation, and child sponsorship.
Each of the eight designs is named after a woman who made it—a simple yet effective way of connecting your purchase to the people it benefits the most.

(Source: www.ecouterre.com)