Taking place on 17 August at the V&A Waterfront, in Cape Town, the third edition of Africa Textile Talks, hosted by Twyg and Imiloa Collective, promises a full day of connecting and learning about sustainability and circularity in textile, fashion, and design systems from across the continent.
The first-of-its-kind annual event aims to celebrate and support a growing African textile ecosystem that acts with care for people and the planet.
This year, the focus of Africa Textile Talks is to inspire new practices which are rooted in the past, informed by the present, and look to the future.
Guided by MC Thobile Chittenden, CEO of Makers Valley and network co-lead of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance the day will be filled with insightful talks, presentations, exhibits, and demonstrations that will bring together sustainable growers, makers, designers, creatives, industry experts, retailers, and innovators.
Speakers include representatives of the groundbreaking Ghanian organisation The OR Foundation, Kenyan creative director and textile designer Sunny Dolat, also from Kenya are H&M Foundation 2023 Global Change Award finalists Rethread Africa, from Nigeria, Muktar Dodo will be presenting the Global Organic Textile Standard.
Design guru, Bielle Bellingham will engage with textile artists and designers Frances van Hasselt, Tinyiko Makwakwa and Lezanne Viviers about their innovative use of natural dyes and natural fibres. Looking at the future of sustainable and circular textiles, we will be in discussion with Krelyne Andrew from Sappi, Deon Saayman from Cape Wools SA, and Carolina Li from DDI about the developments of the African textile industry.
Sponsored by the Global Organic Textiles Standard, Sappi, Cape Wools, H&M, V&A Waterfront, Goethe Institut, and British Council, the 2023 edition of Africa Textile Talks will uncover how textiles are more than just the materials that adorn our lives, but rather a lens to better understand history, culture, social and environmental issues, and the way the world works.
