Editor’s choice
Editor’s choice
Kenyatta University, ACT, EKA’s DiMa Lab, and SEI Tallinn experts will establish a circular design hub in Nairobi to map and repurpose textile production waste. The hub will offer practical training in sewing, circular design, business modelling, and marketing. It will empower participants to launch and grow their own sustainable fashion brands and acquire the skills to enter the market successfully. Additionally, the project will raise awareness of Kenya’s industrial textile waste problem, where much of the production leftovers are discarded or incinerated. The long-term goal is to ensure the sustainability of the hub beyond the project’s duration, enabling it to continue supporting circular design development, training, and local economic growth.
The “Nairobi Circular Design Hub” project focuses on collecting and analysing data, providing practical training, and applying circular economy principles to support the systematic valorisation of industrial textile waste and developing the local creative sector.
A central aspect of the project is mapping and analysing industrial textile waste in the Nairobi region, a task led by SEI Tallinn experts in collaboration with Kenyatta University researchers. This will provide a deeper understanding of textile waste flows and their potential applications in the circular economy. The mapping results will be used at the Nairobi Circular Design Hub, where a portion of the waste will be recycled and repurposed through value-adding recycling and sustainable production methods.
The findings from the project’s research and development activities will be presented in at least one scientific publication, created in collaboration with the Estonian Academy of Arts, Kenyatta University, and SEI Tallinn. A seminar or conference will also be organized to share the results and foster further collaboration in research and innovation.
The greatest benefits of the project will be directed towards local young designers and students, providing them with practical skills, mentorship, and international exposure. Additionally, textile manufacturers, researchers, and circular economy experts will gain new, evidence-based solutions for repurposing textile waste. This project goes beyond just training programs; it lays a solid foundation for implementing circular economy principles, supports scientific cooperation, creates new employment opportunities, and raises awareness both locally and internationally about textile waste valorisation and upcycling.
After the project concludes, the Nairobi Circular Design Hub will be integrated into Kenyatta University’s teaching and research activities, ensuring the continued transfer of knowledge and practical application beyond the project’s funding period, thus securing its long-term sustainability. The Estonian Academy of Arts’ DiMa Lab will continue supporting the hub, sharing expertise and ensuring that circular design principles and upcycling practices take root in the local industry and educational system.
SEI Tallinn experts will collaborate with Kenyatta University to conduct desk research and fieldwork to map industrial textile waste in Nairobi. They will also analyse the collected data, develop waste recycling strategies, and prepare a scientific publication. Additionally, SEI Tallinn supports implementing training programmes, including an incubation program for designers, manufacturers and students.
The project is funded by ESTDEV – the Estonian International Development Cooperation Centre.
Head of Unit, Senior Expert (Green and Circular Economic Transformations Unit)
SEI Tallinn
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