16/10/2026
What if the material left behind could become the beginning of something new?
For Ijeamaka Nwizu, founder of Ethical Textile Waste Cloth, this idea emerged while collecting and repurposing unwanted clothing. Some garments could neither be resold nor distributed, leaving textile scraps that still needed a purpose.
The next step was to explore another use for the material: cutting discarded fabric into strips, incorporating it into yarn and weaving it into new cloth using traditional Nigerian looms.
The story is a reminder that African creativity is not only about what can be made from new materials. It is also about resourcefulness, knowledge carried through generations and the willingness to find new possibilities in what already exists.
Sustainability deserves a place in the future of African creativity, not as a trend or a label, but as part of how materials are considered, resources are used and creative work is produced.
Diakwu Cloth showcased its work TALES House London during TALES by Bellafricana UK 🇬🇧. If you’re in London, stop by TALES House to discover and shop from the African creative brands in residence.
Sometimes, the next creation begins with looking at what we leave behind differently.🫶🏾
Images: Diakwu cloth, sisiano, thedolliehouse