A love story, stitched through our clothes

This workshop aims to bring together a community of individuals and initiatives
passionate about extending the lives of our clothes and reducing textile waste in Durban
and Africa at large. The workshop will combine hands-on activities with an engaging
chat on the environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry, and how clothing
repair is an act that reduces the urge of replacing what we already own.

Why This Matters

As Africans, the act of caring and loving our clothes has been our practice for a long time,
but with the influence of how the world works right now, these practices seem to
disappear. Inspired by the growing community of people who are conscious about
clothing, Tengeneza Café (to make/mend in Swahili) through Chemitei Janet and in
collaboration with Greenpeace Durban Local Group, seek to organise a repair workshop.
We want to engage with different conscious citizens who are just as curious as we are in
making our loved clothes last.

Participants will bring their own clothing items in need of repair or upcycling and we will
work together to mend tears, attach buttons and transform old clothes by also embracing
slow practices like sewing, knit and crochet. Janet will share her experience as a Waste
and Slow Fashion Educator from Kenya, on the journey of clothes especially through the
secondhand supply chain, and the importance of extending clothing lifespans. This will
transition into an open discussion on the African clothing culture and how we practice
sustainability, prompting participants to consider the origins and impacts of their clothing
and where they end up.

Our Vision

• An opportunity to unlearn fast fashion practices and share the knowledge and
  creative skills to repair and upcycle our clothing to promote a culture of mending.
• An educational session that enriches our minds on the reality of the environmental
  and social impacts of the fashion industry in the African region, to gain a deeper
  understanding of how we can embrace sustainable clothing choices and
  consumption habits.
• The creation of a collaborative space that spans across Africa where we can
  exchange knowledge and history, and share clothing solutions we can work
  towards.

About Tengeneza Café

Tengeneza Café is an initiative by Chemitei Janet that was born from a desire to connect
conscious citizens who are curious and passionate about the joy of repairing to heal our
clothing relationships. When we repair, we value the act of care, and slowing down our
consumption. Tengeneza Café seeks collaborations within Kenya and beyond, exploring
opportunities such as film screenings and workshops to strengthen a #LovedClothesLast
community.