WE ARE
Reshaping the future, radically.
UnikBlends promotes ethical, fair and sustainable production of contemporary outfits and accessories handmade from sustainably-sourced African fabrics.
With a few but distinguished and talented female artistains, UnikBlends provides conscious style and zerowaste accessories, that allows YOU authentically Express your Individuality while Dressing with Conscience and contribute towards a Sustainable Reality.
OUR STORY
Karolina
Karolina, of Tailor_ka, is responsible for most of UnikBlends repairs and repurposing projects. She gets a kick in experimenting with different fabrics, exploring new patterns and designs and creatively transforms them into amazingly new fashionable outfits and accessories, including curtains and luxurious cushion pillows. Karolina's love for detail and quality finishing leaves you dumbfounded with joy, as you behold what once abandoned, now breathing refreshing new life and functionality.
Buki
Buki is a Nigerian based artisan who uses the Nigerian "Yoruba" slow dyeing process to skillfully transform plain cotton fabrics into vibrantly patterned Adire oozing with colour and love. The indigenous craft of natural dying of fabrics is a long, laborious process and generally takes a minimum of 15 days. The dyes are made processing some generic leaves, banana leaves and palm kernel shells in a semi-permeable pot clay which can be seen in the background of this image. Natural dying is an excellent technique because the dye water can be used to nourish and fertilise the surrounding plus it’s a way of preserving a dying tradition/heritage.
Evelin
Evelin was born in Brazil although she is the daughter of Egyptian parents. She attended the University of Agronomy. After graduating she married a Dutchman and came to live in Amsterdam where she worked buying and selling flowers form all over the world. Today she is very enthusiastic about the work of creating original pieces. Evelin was the very first lady who transformed my old African fabrics into dazzling new accessories. I met her at a Christmas Market in Zoetermeer, Netherlands and her colourful display of bags captivated me. She made it possible for UnikBlends to kick off as she enthusiastically came up with unique ideas for the colourful fabrics I brought her way.
Alice
Alice Ng’andwe Vermeulen offers beautifully handmade headpieces, hats, and head wraps in many vibrant and intricate fabrics, which add a pop of fun and authenticity to every outfit. Alice is from Zambia who is now based in the Netherlands with her family and whose passion lies in creative work of Millinery, the real craft of hats and headgear. For Alice, hats have been a fashion symbol within her family and her collection is extraordinary.
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Alice also offers headwrap workshops.