Fatuma Khalid has spent two decades connecting designers with East African artisans. She has built relationships with weavers in Thika, potters in Machakos, and woodworkers in Kisumu. When we sat down to discuss ethics, craft, and the future of sourcing, we knew we were in the presence of someone who has shaped the landscape of African design.
This conversation took place at her studio in Nairobi, surrounded by samples from the cooperatives she works with.
"The best sourcing is not transactional. It is relational. You have to know the people who make the things."
— Fatuma KhalidUnderstanding Provenance
When we asked Fatuma what makes sourcing ethical, she was clear: it starts with knowing where things come from. Not just the country or the region. The village. The cooperative. The individual artisan if possible.
"Designers want to know that the person who wove the basket was paid fairly. That the person who carved the stool was paid a living wage. But provenance is not just about money. It is about respect. It is about understanding that the object carries the story of the person who made it."
She has seen the industry change. Twenty years ago, designers were often content with "African-inspired" — a vague term that could mean anything. Now, the best clients want to know the story. They want to know the name.
Fatuma Khalid in her Nairobi studio, surrounded by samples from East African cooperatives.
The Future of Craft
We asked about the future. What happens when the current generation of artisans retires? Is there a next generation?
"There is, but it looks different. The young weavers are not just weaving — they are designing. They are collaborating with designers in Europe and America. They are building brands. The craft is evolving, and that is good. The question is whether the structures support that evolution — whether the cooperatives can adapt, whether the pricing can sustain the next generation."
Key Takeaways from Fatuma Khalid
- Provenance matters — know where things come from, and who made them.
- Ethical sourcing is relational, not transactional.
- The next generation of artisans is designing, not just making.
- Pricing must sustain the craft for the future.
- Collaboration between designers and artisans is the way forward.
What We Learn
Our conversation with Fatuma left us with a clearer sense of what ethical sourcing means. It is not a checklist. It is a way of working — of building relationships, of respecting the people who make the things we specify, of understanding that every object carries a story.
The Nakuru Penthouse — a space where every textile was sourced through relationships like the ones Fatuma describes.
A Gratitude
We are grateful to Fatuma for her time and her wisdom. The design industry in East Africa depends on people like her — people who bridge the gap between designers and artisans, who build the relationships that make ethical sourcing possible.
