Mifuko expands its fair trade design in Kenya

For the past decade, Mifuko has engaged groups of local artisans in the rural areas of Machakos in Kenya in producing Fairtrade-certified design baskets sold all over the world.

With the help of Finnish NGO Finn Church Aid, the fair trade design startup has now expanded to Turkana County and started producing the new basket collection using traditional materials and weaving techniques.

“For us as designers, it is important and rewarding to collaborate with local artisans,” explainedMinna Impiö and Mari Martikainen, founders of Mifuko. “This was made possible when we visited Turkana in the beginning of April with Finn Church Aid. A new collection is being developed, and it will be presented in the autumn at the international fair [in Finland]. We believe this will become a successful collaboration.”

Turkana’s inhabitants are a nomadic people whose livelihood is threatened by a constant and worsening drought in what is the poorest region of Kenya.

Learn what the two former textile art students and Mifuko founders had to say to us about starting a fair trade business.