ITC Ethical Fashion Initiative Impact...

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ITCEthicalFashionInitiativeImpactAssessment

KarenWalkerAutumn-Winter2017Order,Kenya:July–September2016

KarenWalkerordersummary

In partnership with the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) andArtisan.Fashion, Karen Walker produced Three bag styles for their Autumn-Winter 2016/17collection with artisans in Kenya. A total of 900 units with 7270 components of bags wereproducedby132artisansfromfourCommunitygroupsandtheArtisan.Fashionanenterprisethatfostersapositivesocialimpactforartisansthroughincomegenerationandmarketaccess.Seventraditional textile and craft techniques were used for the order, including screen printing,machine embroidery,machine stitching, Horn Crafting, pompommaking and Brass Casting – aculturallyintegraltechniqueoftheMalewhoinheritedtheskillfromtraditionalblacksmiths.

LocationofruralartisancommunitiesproducingpompomsfortheKarenWalkerorder

The Karen Walker order was monitored using the RISE framework – an innovative schemedevelopedby ITCEFI allowing clear andobjectivemonitoring throughdataanalysis.Benefitsoftheorderwere recognised in termsof incomeand saving, education,health andnutrition. Theparticipants received a decentwage andworked as a community to develop their skills.Manyparticipants were also able to send their children to school and access healthcare during andfollowingtheproduction.Asaresult,theorderstrengthenedlocalenterprisesandimprovedthestandardsoflivingforthoseinvolvedandtheirfamilies.

Ordercharacteristics

TheKarenWalkerAW1617orderwasproducedbetweenJulyandSeptember2016.Theorderhadmany componentswhich includedBrass bells, Brass Rings, Brass clips, Pompoms andhorn zip forcharm.DuetoitsmanycomponentstheKarenWalkerorderprovidedworkandincometoartisansfrompoorandmarginalisedareasofNairobi’sinformalsettlementandperi-urbanareas.Theorderwas produced by 132 artisans from Four community groups and the Artisans.Fashion companylocatedattheExportProcessingZone(EPZ)inAthi-River.

- 53%oftheparticipantsintheorderwerewomen.

- 91%oftheartisanswereunder40yearsold.

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-9%ofparticipantshadnodependents,60%hadonetothreedependentsand31%ofartisanshadmorethanfourdependents.

FocusGroupDiscussion(FGD)revealedthatmajorityofartisanswereundertheageof25.Theirmainreasontoengageinagainfulemploymentwastoraisemoneyinordertofurthertheireducationorcareerpath.

KARENWALKERMUJERAUTUMN-WINTER2016/17ORDER

Tote 300units

ZipCase 300units

Charm 300units

53%47%

ParticipantsGenderDistribution

Female

Male

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BrassBell 310units

BigBrassO-Ring 950units

SmallBrassO-Ring 950units

SmallBrassD-Ring 950units

BrassParrotClip 310units

HornZip 950units

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Pom-Pom 2850units

Skillsandmaterials

- Manualscreenprinting:Thistechniqueusesawovenmeshtosupportastencilthroughwhichinkispressedontocanvas.

- Machine embroidery: Stitching skill to create an embossed relief design on the fabricoftenusedinthetailoringanddress-makingtrade.

- MachineStitching:Sewingskills learntthroughtrainingandmainlyusedforcommercialpurposesintailoringanddress-makingtrade.

- Horn crafting: Skill that was used notably in theMiddle Ages for manufacturing someitems such as drinking horns and blast (or "blowing", "winding" or Hunting) horns. Inworkingwith thehorn it is first softenedandmademalleable thenmolded intovariousshapes,suchasspoons,scoops,combs,etc.DuringtheKarenWalkerAW16/17orderthehornswereusedtoproducezipforCharms.

- BrassCasting:Inthepastthebrasscastingskillwasfoundamongblacksmithsandmetalcasters for decoration for its bright gold-like appearance and to produce regalia forceremonies. Duringtheordertheartisansproducedtheringsusingrecycledbrassfromscrapmaterialssuchaslocks,gears,bearings,doorknobs,valves;andplumbingitems.

ProductionOfthe132artisans involvedwiththeorder,thefollowingnumberswereinvolvedineachskilfulstage:

- Stitching:27%- Preparation:25%- Supervision:12%- BrassCasting:12- PompomMaking:8%- Embroidery:8%- ScreenPrinting:5%- HornCrafting:3

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

HornCraftingScreenprinting

EmbroideryPompomMaking

BrassCastingSupervisionPreparation

Stitching

SkillsEngagedfortheOrder

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Communities

BesidesfromPompommaking,theskillsusedduringtheKarenWalkerAutumn-Winter2016/17orderwereacquiredeitherthroughtrainingorapprenticeship.Thetrainingonpompomofferedduringtheorderassistedartisanstoimprovetheirknittingtechniqueswhichsomeartisansutilizetomake little toys for their children. They also used thewaste from yarns tomake pillows forresting.

Incomeandsaving

The artisans received different incomes depending on the skills and tasks performed and thenumberofdaysofwork.ParticipatingartisansfromtheArtisans.Fashionhubweresalarybased,whilethosefromthecommunitygroupswerepaidonapieceratedependingonthenumberspfperfectitemsproduced.

- 67%ofparticipantsstatedtheirincomewashigherthan

whattheywouldhaveotherwiseearnedfromthedomesticmarket.

- 33%receivedsimilarincomecomparedtodomesticmarket,howevertheypreferredtoworkonKarenWalkerAW1617asitofferedanopportunityfortrainingwhichfurtherdevelopedtheartisan’sskillsandcreativity

- 47%ofparticipantswereabletosavemoneyfromthe

incomereceivedthroughtheorder.- 53%werenotabletosaveduetohighcostoflivingduring

themonthofAugustwithmostofthechildrenathomeonvacationandpaidschoolfeesatthebeginningofthirdterminSeptember.

- 20%ofparticipantswereabletoinvesttheirearningsineducation,merry-go-roundwomengroupsandsmallbusinesses.80%oftheartisansdidnotinvestinanythingduringtheKarenWalkerAW1617order

Accesstoeducation

Giventhehighnumberoffemaleartisans,incomewasprimarilyinvestedintoeducationfortheirchildren. This is consistent with the aims of EFI and Artisan.Fashion, both promoting income-generatingactivitiesandempowermentforwomen.

- 80% of participants contributed to part or of theschoolfeesduringtheorder.

- 20%didnotpayanyschoolfeessincetheyhadnochildreninschool.

- 72%Paidschoolfeesforbetween1-3children.- 8%Supportedbetween4-6childreninschool.

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Asumpta Kanini, 32

“Iamamotheroffive.IworkedonKarenWalkerAW1617orderasembroidererattheArtisans.FashioncompanyintheEPZ.IreceivedgoodincomewhichIusedtopayrent,schoolfees, foodandotherhouseholdutilities.”

Healthandnutrition

Focusgroupdiscussionsrevealedthataregularincomeenabledartisanstomaintaintheirhealth,duetoaregularmealandimprovedmedicalcareaccess.

Testimonials

- 67%oftheartisansdidnotexperienceanyformofsickness

duringtheKarenWalkerAW1617order.- 33%ofparticipantsexperiencedsicknessintheirhousehold.

28% of them were able to receive treatment in medicalfacilitiesandanother5%weretreatedathome.

- 25% of artisans said that they would not have sought thesame treatmentwithout the income from the orderwhile8%wouldstillvisitthesamefacilitiesattributedtodistanceorthecareoffered.

- 95%ofparticipantsstatedthatwiththemoneytheyearned

duringtheordertheyhadsufficientnutritionregularly- 5%statedthatduetoartisans’culturalhabitsandnatureof

theiractivitiesduringtheday,theyhadmealstwiceoronceinaday.

Martha Kimani, 41

“I am a single mother of three. I worked on KarenWalker AW 1617orderasa supervisor tomachineoperators.Theordercameata timewhenmy daughter together with other girls had been involved in anindisciplinecaseinsecondaryschool.Theywerefinedahugeamountofmoney as a condition for readmission into their final year in school. Iusedtheincomefromtheordertomeetthefine.

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Eunice Achien’g, 24

“Iamamotheroftwo.IworkedonthepompomduringtheKarenWalkerAW1617order.Duringtheordermylittlechildwassick,soIusedtoreportlateforwork.EvenwiththesicknessofmychildIstillearnedgoodincomefromtheorderwhichIusedtopaymedicalbilland to offer healthy nutrition to my family. I was happy to havework.”

Conclusion

KarenWalkerAW1617orderprovidedmuchneededwork forartisans in the low incomeareas.Thecomponentsfortheorderandotheraccessorieswerecompletedincommunitygroupswithveryminimal expenses asmost of theoverhead costwere coveredbyArtisan. Fashion. Peopleworkingintheinformalsector,artisanclusters,homeworkers,micro-producersandmarginalizedcommunities, are usually vulnerable given the unregulated nature of their workplaces.Artisan.Fashion incollaborationwithEthicalFashion InitiativeusedtheopportunityprovidedbyKarenWalkerAW1617order to implement theRISEFrameworkwhichensuredapositivesocialimpactandimprovedartisans’livesinslumareasandruralcommunities.

MoreabouttheEthicalFashionInitiative:

The Ethical Fashion Initiative is a flagshipprogrammeof the International TradeCentre, a jointagency of the United Nations and theWorld Trade Organization. The Ethical Fashion Initiativereducesglobalpovertyby linkingmicro-producersandartisanstothe internationalsupplychainof fashion, facilitatingdignifiedworkatafairwage.Bycollaboratingwithsocialenterprises,theEthical Fashion Initiative supports local creativity, female employment and empowerment andgender equality. Ultimately, this aims to reduce extreme poverty and increase the exportcapacitiesoftheregioninwhichitoperates.

RISEFramework:

RISEisaninnovativeschemetoenablesustainabletrade,socialandenvironmentalresponsibility,traceability and impact. Through clear monitoring, RISE measures compliance to ensure the

Edward Macharia, 28

“Iammarriedwith5dependants.IworkedonKarenWalkerAw1617ordermakingHornzipsforcharm.Theorderwassoexcitingandeasyasamused tomorecomplexhornwork. I gotgood incomewhich Iusedtopaythethirdterm(September–November)school fees forallmychildren.”

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activitiesleadtoasociallyandethicallyresponsiblesupplychainusingsystematicdatagatheringtechniques. This allows information about the product, itsmanufacture, stories of the artisansandtheimpactoftheworkontheirlivestobeshared.

AboutArtisan.Fashion:

Artisan.Fashion is a Kenyan-based social enterprise connecting Africa’s artisans to recognisedbrands in the global fashion chain, including VivienneWestwood, Stella McCartney and KarenWalker. Combining their creativity and production capabilities, these artisans produce high-qualityproductsinexchangeforafairwage,fosteringapositivesocialimpactforthemselvesandtheir families. In its ninth year, Artisan.Fashion has engaged over 1,000 artisans who aim toproduceover100,000bagsandaccessoriesperyear.

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