Out of Africa: A Journey from Farm to a Fabric of the Future

Motivated to make a difference, my team and I found Rethread Africa as a vehicle for positive change. Our mission is to leverage the power of fashion to create a sustainable and inclusive future. We focus on developing bio-based sustainable materials that can replace traditional textile waste and reduce the industry's reliance on non-renewable resources. By transforming agricultural waste into high-quality materials, we not only address the environmental challenges but also provide economic opportunities for smallholder farmers.

Our innovative approach has gained recognition, and we have been honoured with prestigious awards for our work. The trigger for our award-winning innovation was the urgent need to tackle the unsustainable nature of the fashion industry and its impact on both people and the planet. Through Rethread Africa, I aspire to bring about meaningful change, improving the lives of millions and driving the industry toward a more sustainable and circular model.

The combination of witnessing the struggles of smallholder farmers and the environmental impact of the fashion industry sparked my determination to create a transformative solution. Rethread Africa is the result of that determination, aiming to create a positive social and environmental impact through bio-based sustainable materials and a circular approach to fashion.

What drew you to this field? How did you start? Where did the seed money come from? How much did you invest?
Mitesh Varsani: The fashion industry is considerably young in Kenya despite a rich fashion culture. Production of garments and textiles within the country has not been scaled up significantly which leaves huge pockets of opportunities to build from. This was a key factor for us to focus on the fashion industry while making a social impact to small holder farmers in rural Kenya.

We began by researching various feedstocks to use before landing on pineapple leaves due to its abundant nature as well as lack of use after fruit harvesting. We are currently also working on R&D for various other feedstocks such as sugarcane bagasse. We then intensively started to experiment and try out how we could achieve this and in partnership with local government research agencies, we were able to come up with a prototype a few months back.

This was a bit of a costly affair and all co-founders were pitching in whatever they could to reach the prototype stage, spending close to USD 1,000 as university students. But after this we were able to access multiple grants from Social Shifters, What Design Can Do Challenge as well as the H&M Foundation which will allow us to expand further.

What are the challenges faced this far—be it in terms of product, the research and development and finally the commercial roll out? If not yet rolled out, by when do you hope to do so? 
Noreen Mwancha: We have faced quite a number of challenges within the few months that we have been in operation. Being students, it was difficult to financially sustain the operations of our business in the developing phase as we were conducting R&D on the different agricultural waste that we could use, which was resource intensive. It was a dream of walking the journey from farm to fabric and converting this dream into reality required machinery that we had to outsource in order to achieve certain steps in the processes involved. This meant that we had to work with the terms of those whom we engaged which turned out to be very limiting in terms of output. In addition to that, our innovative process is new and unique hence there were no existing machines to carry out the initial stages of extraction. We had to find ways of tailoring the existing machines to suit our current needs.

Lastly, the idea of creating sustainable materials is a new concept to many individuals, most of whom do not keenly put into consideration the life cycle of their clothes. Transforming the mindset of individuals to embrace the concept of sustainable fashion by starting at the root of fabric production turns out to be a challenge. In this regard, creating a community that believes in the vision is a challenge as well.

We have just concluded our prototyping phase and are laying the framework to scale into a commercial scale pilot with a select group of designers turning our material into different products for release in either Q4 this year or Q1 next year.

What other agricultural waste do you think can be used? How, according to you, should its supply chain work so that this waste is easily accessible for players in the business of recycling this waste?
Mitesh Varsani: As mentioned earlier, pineapple leaves are just the start for Rethread Africa. We are currently in the R&D phase for other feedstocks as well including sugarcane bagasse which would have a cellulosic approach to production, hence a steeper learning curve and longer scaling time.

For ease of access, grouping small farming communities in sectors or under SACCOS would be the most ideal so that they can deliver their wastes to a central point where they are graded and quality assurance is carried out. After this, we at Rethread can come collect them and do the necessary changes to them so that you can wear fabrics without wasting any part of your food—literally!

Please take us through the process—which materials are used, their current and future applications—in the business of fashion. 
Vincent Momanyi: Due to the limited availability of machinery, we made the decision to initially focus on the utilisation of pineapple leaf fibre. The process of pineapple leaf fibre commences with the collection of leaves from smallholder farmers. Subsequently, the leaves undergo decortication, which involves separating the fibre strands from the bulk of the leaves. This procedure is accomplished using a mechanical extractor.

The fibre strands are then subjected to washing and drying in order to eliminate impurities and enhance the colour. Following this, the fibres are manually spun into yarn utilising a hand-operated spinning wheel. The resultant yarn is then woven on a handloom, ultimately yielding a piece of fabric. This fabric can be utilised for the creation of a diverse range of garments and other products.

The fabric we have currently produced, obtained during our prototyping phase, exhibits a certain degree of rigidity, rendering it particularly suitable for employment in outer wear like jackets, denim or shirts. As we advance into our upcoming phase, we are actively engaged in the endeavour to procure superior machinery. This progressive step aims to minimise wastage and elevate the calibre of our fabric. Moreover, such an acquisition will grant us the capability to fabricate a diverse range of materials tailored for various applications, spanning from garments to footwear.

There is a lot of doubt in the industry on how viable these biomaterials are, specially with reference to their sustainability and biodegradability, more so because they undergo several processes. What do you have to say about it. 
Vincent Momanyi: In our manufacturing process, we have ensured that each stage adheres to sustainable practices. This includes utilising renewable resources, minimising energy consumption, reducing water usage, and employing eco-friendly processing techniques. By prioritising sustainability throughout our production chain, we have managed to record 99 per cent less water usage and lowered carbon emissions by 80 per cent compared to synthetic fabric production processes.

Regarding biodegradability, our current material, pineapple leaf fibre, takes around 4 to 6 months to decompose in a compost heap. This is quite remarkable compared to cotton and other synthetics. The use of natural dyes on our apparel promotes biodegradability by reducing chemical interactions and adding nutrients to the soil.

Please elaborate on your technology. 
Vincent Momanyi: We have embraced a closed loop process in our production which leads to our huge savings on resources. This not only reduces resource consumption but also minimises the environmental impact associated with waste disposal. We are also incorporating the use of solar power in our production facility to run our various machines. This will cut on carbon emissions significantly. (Majority of the production is explained earlier.)

What about certification? 
Mitesh Varsani: We are actively working on collaborative opportunities with the local government to identify the needs for certification and approvals. One key partner is KIRDI (Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute) who we consult with to identify the certifications required to manufacture and commercialise locally. We have also been in conversation with multiple global retailers on what certifications they need for them to approve the purchase of our fabrics. As of now, we are engaging in the pilot phase of the project and when we are able to release a few more square meters of the fabric, we shall be sending this for its first tests at the local standards testing agency, KEBS (Kenya Bureau of Standards).

Which brands are your clients? What is the feedback like? What are the changes that they have demanded since you started? 
Noreen Mwancha: Our clients are brands that have the need to use sustainable materials in the manufacture of apparel, upholstery and footwear. We have just concluded our prototyping phase and are now entering the pilot stage of our business. Here, we intend to send samples of our material for testing to fashion brands and designers first in order to establish certain qualities of the fabric as we head into commercial sale of the fabric for different uses. We are currently pooling together groups of designers across Africa and the world so they can try out our fabrics, let their best customers get a feel of it as well and eventually make iterations that will suit their multiple needs.

W.r.t to the GCA, you would have worked on the application. In hindsight, what is it that you think that you got right about the entire thing? 
Charles Oyamo: Reflecting on our application to the Global Change Awards (GCA), we believe several factors contributed to our standout position. Firstly, our use of agricultural waste to create a biodegradable set us apart by not only using renewable sources but also the remarkable potential we have far beyond the fashion industry. By utilising this innovative approach, we consume less water, emit fewer CO2 emissions, and our product is designed to enrich the soil at the end of its life cycle.

Our strong emphasis on social impact centred around enabling communities affected by the climate crisis to be part of co-creating solutions to a sustainable future anchored in materials. We empower farmers by providing them with an additional source of income while enabling local production. Our process requires fewer resources, resulting in reduced emissions, and benefits from an abundant raw material, allowing for shorter lead times.

Despite being the youngest team to win the award, with only six months of existence, we had a clear goal in mind and communicated it. Over the next year, our focus will be on product development, commercialisation, and expanding our product line through increased investment in equipment, team resources, and research and development. We aim to have our material ready for sale by the end of 2023 and seek to establish more commercial partnerships to facilitate scalability.

At Rethread Africa, we are driven by our passion for sustainable innovation, social impact, and environmental stewardship. We are excited about the journey ahead as we work towards a future where our products contribute to a more sustainable textile industry.