This is Us NG
Not to be confused with the TV series, This Is Us NG is a sustainable fashion brand by husband and wife duo Oroma Cookey-Gam and Osi Itegboje based in Lagos.
What first attracted us to This Is Us NG was how documented their production journey was. Traditional African history was predominantly shared orally, and only in recent times (> 100 years / colonialism) has the shift moved to the written word, so the storytelling element by This Is Us NG is a welcomed addition.
Their beginnings
The story of their fabrics starts in Funtua, Katsina State.
I remember myself jeering, 'Nigerian made cotton?? What? Come off it! Nigeria doesn't produce cotton!' Turns out, many moons ago, Nigeria was a big (huge) producer of cotton. I suppose that makes sense given the amount of fabric required to make babanrigas/Agbadas and wrappers.
Once the cotton looms are made, they are taken to Kano to the Kofar Mata (which translates to Women's gate) dye pits which have been in existence since for over 600 years. Similar to the leather dye pits and Tanneries of Fez, Morocco, these dye pits were the mainstay of the textile industry in northern Nigeria as Kano was an influential trading post.
We were lucky enough to visit a few months ago and it was truly beautiful to see traditional methods being used in the 21st century.
The middle
From there, the fabric is brought to Lagos where design ideas are brought to life. Sounds simple enough until, right? *side eye*... that's until you start thinking of production in a country where infrastructure is a constant work in progress and government initiatives often stifle innovation and entrepreneurship. Turnaround times can be slow and quality control elements are sometimes then overlooked.
We digress.
Why is the story of This Is Us NG so important? Diversity and job creation. Northern states in Nigeria such as Katsina have been ravaged by the increasing spread of Boko Haram resulting in instability, deserted communities and unemployment. Kano being the commercial hub of northern Nigeria, brims with artisans, craftspeople and traders.
The impact of insurgency in states surrounding Kano has significantly discouraged visitors and traders who would normally frequent the state. Having a business which actively invests in local, dying (and dyeing ) ) industries and craft not only educates and encourages people like myself to visit the dye pits, but also provokes conversation. Namely, how better we can support businesses that go the extra mile to give consumers something truly unique.
One key feature of this brand which really caught my attention was how quintessentially African, more specifically Nigerian it was, and how many hands and cities the fabrics passes through before reaching the final product - making it a truly African product.
Correction - A truly African product available on Mais Af in August
The end