SERVICES

Are you a brand looking for artisans or factories to make your goods?  Are you seeking to fill production gaps? A designer seeking to source materials for your next project? A social enterprise passionate about creating impact through design? We are here to work with you!

We have worked in over 12 countries on the continent. Our dynamic and diverse team combines strategic consulting expertise in developing countries with our entrepreneurial and innovative instinct to deliver the highest quality outcomes for our clients. We leverage our deep understanding of working in Africa, our strong relationships and networks, and our local presence to bring our clients personalized services that fit their needs. To ensure results and quality outcomes, we approach every project with a fresh, holistic, creative, and tactical mindset. Armed with this, we believe that the possibilities are endless and work to surpass our client expectations. We are here to communicate, collaborate, and support our clients. 

 

MARKET ENTRY & ADVISORY

Leveraging our experiences and relationships in Africa, we help clients connect with artisan groups and factories based on their company mission and needs. We provide full-service support to new clients entering the market to guarantee an effective introduction. We also provide advisory support for African designers and brands who are looking to launch globally. Our services include:  

  • Vendor introduction and selection. We pair our clients with vendors that best suit their needs.

  • Country and market profiles. We provide information on working in-country and advise on exporting procedures, and the enabling environment.

  • Recruitment. We help recruit individuals that are teamplayers, proactive, and experts in their field.

  • Facilitation to partner advisory organizations. We connect clients to our partners if their services better suit your needs.

  • Logistical and planning support. We provide logistical support for your teams visiting Ethiopia or Uganda.

  • Production execution profile. Advise on the production process including lead time, quality control, sourcing, management, etc.

  • Market analysis and assessment. Our team conducts full market analyses for entry seekers including investors.

  • Global market entry. We work with designers and artisan groups on business strategy, marketing, and branding to prepare for launches in new markets or to help raise visibility profiles.

 

DESIGN & INNOVATION

Design is our passion and we challenge our clients and our vendors to "think outside the box" to create rare, beautiful, and high quality goods, including accessories, apparel, and home décor. We take our clients from hand-sketched brainstorms to finished quality items for export. We have proven experience working with African artisans and a strong understanding of market demands in North America, Europe, and East Asia. We understand limitations but we also know the possibilities. To see our design portfolio, please get in touch with us. Below are the materials that we have design capacity for:

  • Handwoven textiles

  • Silk screen patterns

  • Leather accessories

  • Home goods

  • Jewelry

  • Basketry

  • Horn

  • Stationary items

PRODUCTION EXECUTION & MANAGEMENT 

*currently only available in Ethiopia and Uganda

Our on the ground presence allows us to work side by side with our vendors, checking for timeliness, quality, and ethical and environmentally-friendly processes and procedures. We believe it is important to establish relationships with every artisan. Our production management includes: 

  • Overseeing the sampling process and /or full production -- from getting specs to the vendor to sampling, to quality control, to shipping

  • Quality control audits

  • Timeliness of exports

  • Ensuring all input fulfillment and branding requirements are met

  • Managing export paperwork

 

SOURCING & CURATION

For designers, individuals, or wholesalers who are interested in sourcing leather or textiles for your own projects and/or curating goods, we help you identify what you are looking for and ship you the goods. To learn about our sourcing services, please contact us at hello@africadesignstudio.com.