SUSTAINABILITY
At A A K S our sustainable vision continues to unfold as we carve a path in living the question of “how do we create the most beautiful and desirable products with the least impact on our environment”. The main tenets of our sustainability vision centres around the following principles:
Product Sustainability:
Raffia the main raw material used in the production of our bags is a gift of nature sourced from small local family farm holdings and is fully biodegradable. Given that 95% of the materials used in the creation of an AAKS bag is made only of raffia gives us hope that our bags will never end up as waste. In the dyeing of our bags we collect, store and use natural rain water during the wet season and ground water from wells in the dry season. For the linings of our bags we use organic cotton wherever possible. Our leather handles are all sourced locally from small shop holdings of traditional shoe makers. We aim to build open and collaborative relationships with our suppliers to understand their unique contexts to have a positive impact on them and vice versa.
Social Sustainability:
We believe that sustainability not only applies to our materials or products but also being ethical and mindful of all the members in our supply chain who work tirelessly to achieve the quality worthy of the AAKS stamp. 80% of our employees are women and the economic empowerment of women in gaining not only access to work but that which is dignified and equitable is a cornerstone of what we do at AAKS. Our commitment to a fair wage policy is enhanced by other benefits that ensures that team members maintain economic dignity irrespective of inflationary pressures pertaining at the time.
Luxury 'Slow' Fashion:
We launch only one collection per year to reduce the impact of waste culture inherent within 'fast' fashion brands. All our products are handmade with very little machinery in the production process. This ensures that the usage/utility of our products have a longer timeframe for our customers and that it also sparks the joy of owning a bag made especially for you. We aim to design products with a minimal number of components so our handbags are mostly made of raffia, cotton/linen lining and a leather handle, and we do not compromise on desirability or sustainability.
Circularity:
We are committed to reducing our waste and use of raw materials by using recycled packaging for all wholesale orders, sourced locally from cross-sector waste and repurposed instead of purchasing /commissioning new boxes. All raffia pieces cut of or not utilised for bigger bags are repurposed for smaller bags or other accessories like pompoms.
Our studio is lit using LED lighting, which uses 75% less energy than traditional bulbs and 50% of our studio team members do their work in the gardens at our studio reducing our need for air conditioning and artificial lights.
This is just the beginning for AAKS. In the future, we hope to introduce more materials that are not only unique for our conscious consumer, but also to create a healthier planet. Ultimately, our north star is to increase awareness around ethical production, conserving the provenance of weaving as an art form in Ghana and to encourage sustainable consumption in the fashion world.