Nkuku specialise in stylish, eco-friendly and fair trade items.

All our products are inspired by the traditional skills of artisans throughout Africa and India. The name ‘Nkuku’ was borrowed from a village in Zambia. We combine contemporary designs with age-old techniques, natural materials and sustainable methods of production to ensure each product is truly exceptional.

Nkuku was founded after a year travelling and working in Africa and India, meeting artisans, and witnessing their astounding skills but challenging living standards and restricted opportunities. Our objective became to promote and develop the traditional skills of these artisans and bring their work to the UK market through wholesale and retail channels. Whilst promoting fair trade and establishing a business that could provide a lifestyle change for our family and an income for ourselves. Nkuku is socially responsible and is built on the principles of fair trade and equal opportunity.

We support fair trade and local community initiatives

In brief, this means that our suppliers are paid a decent wage for their work; working conditions are safe and a good standard; no children are exploited. All our products are skilfully created in a positive and pleasant environment.

We ensure compliance with this code of conduct by making regular visits to our suppliers. We also maintain a close and personal relationship with the artisans themselves, and know that they are very proud of their work and their workforce. Please find a list of our practices and methods of ensuring we meet our fair trade requirements below.

WFTO - Nkuku is now a fully fledged member of the WFTO - World Fair Trade Organisation (IFAT)

Membership of the WFTO is limited to organizations that demonstrate a 100% Fair Trade commitment and apply its 10 Principles of Fair Trade. WFTO members who are monitored against these Principles are listed in the FT100 index of world-leading Fair Trade brands, businesses and organisations. Not just the pioneers of the movement but the innovators of the market.

The World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) is the global representative body of over 350 organisations committed to 100% Fair Trade. The WFTO is the authentic voice of Fair Trade and a guardian of Fair Trade values.

The WFTO operates in 70 countries across 5 regions; Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North American and the Pacific Rim, with elected global and regional boards, to create market access through policy, advocacy, campaigning, marketing and monitoring. It is the only global network whose members represent the Fair Trade chain from production to sale.

WFTO members are organisations differentiated by their 100% Fair Trade commitment to eradicate poverty through sustainable economic development; pioneering social and environmental policy and practice and continual reinvestment in marginalised artisans, farmers and producer communities in some of the most fragile places on earth.

BAFTS

Nkuku is registered by BAFTS (The British Association for Fair Trade Shops) as a fair trade importer. www.bafts.org.uk.



Practices and methods in place to ensure we (Nkuku) meet our fair trade requirements:

•Ensure and enforce fair trade principles with our suppliers by making regular visits to the family businesses, work shops, co operatives.
•Employ 2 agents to carry out unscheduled checks to both ensure the fair trade principles are maintained mentioned above and offer assistant and guidance with regard to Nkuku production.
•Provide a long term, stable, and fair trade relationship
•Provide a transparent relationship with constant communication.
•Ensure a fair price is paid for the products made.
•Allow long lead times to prevent unnecessary stress or pressure to outsource.
•Use recycled materials and natural dyes where possible.
•Ensure supplier producer relationships are fair and meet with the producers as well as suppliers.
•Ensure any materials used in the production of Nkuku goods are taken through the appropriate channels, have the correct government certification and meet European Union standards.
•Provide an outlet for rejected items.
•Import using sea freight and avoid air freight to limit damage to the environment
•Be supportive and understanding as well as professional at all times.
•Encourage and support development programmes and apprenticeship schemes.
•Ensure a trade relationship is not opened unless we are sure we can develop a long term relationship.
•Learn from other fair trade companies and expand working with other fair trade suppliers.

What we ask of our suppliers:

•Answer in detail, sign and return the Nkuku Fair Trade Criteria Form.
•Ensure a safe working environment for their employees, which meet all local statutory requirements.
•Ensure all work is carried out under humane working conditions using appropriate materials and following good production and work practices.
•Ensure that there is no discrimination and ensure equality of employment opportunities for both men and women in areas such as poverty, race, culture, or gender bias.
•Provide an adequate wage to meet employees’ basic needs, including health care, education and the capacity to save.
•Confirm that there will be no exploitation of child labour.
•Ensure that any materials used in the production of Nkuku products are taken purchased through the correct channels. To ensure all government certifications are available for inspection. To ensure that all resources are legitimate and government authenticated.
•Ensure that all materials and resources are managed sustainable and with consideration to the environment
•Provide a transparent trade relationship with Nkuku with mutual respect from both sides.
•Be socially responsible.

Nkuku Employment Terms

•We support profit sharing and ownership as part of our employment programme.
•We believe in paying above the minimum wage.
•We believe in an open dialogue between an employee and ourselves.
•We aim to create a working environment which is positive, fun and enjoyable.
•We use company profit to invest in charities. Nkuku sponsors a young mother through the charity KIDS Company (www.kidsco.org.uk)

How Nkuku Aims to Support Fair Trade

•Support Fair Trade events where possible
•Promote fair trade to the public, trade and retail in the UK and abroad by methods of marketing and pr.
•Support and are members of the British Association of Fair Trade Shops
•Supply and work with Fair trade Shops in the UK and abroad.
•Develop our website to enable us to promote further fair trade charities, and companies.
•Promote awareness and provide information on fair trade with everyone we meet.

We are an environmentally aware company

We endeavour to create products using recycled and natural materials through a hand made process. We consider the environment in everything we do and it has a large impact on the products that we sell. This being said we are under no illusions and are aware that to truly help the environment it is better to reuse things, not waste things and not buy gifts that you don't really need! Not very good for business! On the positive side, if you are buying a gift then at the very least Nkuku offers a product that has considered the environment. We hope that the items you do purchase will be kept for a lifetime, perhaps storing priceless memories in one of our albums and passing them on to the next generation.

Nkuku work with a number of recycled materials:

Cotton Paper
Our photograph albums and journals are handmade from cotton paper. Created from pieces of recycled cotton, this ancient paper making skill has been passed on from generation to generation. The cotton is not grown specifically for papermaking; instead, we collect the cotton left over from the clothing industry. It would otherwise go to waste. The paper is perfect for photograph albums and journals and it is great to think that each sheet has been made by hand.

Wool
Our wool throws are hand made from recycled wool and finished with a soft felt border. The discarded wool garments are collected and all the buttons, zips and poppers removed; leaving only the wool. This wool is then sorted into colours and these colour groups are then ground into a very thin fibre; this fibre is then turned into new wool yarn creating stylish new products to use again and again.

Saris
We use recycled traditional heavy saris; some up to 25 years old to make our heavy sari range. The sari's come in assortment of rich colours made from luxurious silk threads. This ensures that each album and journal is always unique.

Wood
The mango wood we use is sustainable. Mango trees are initially grown for their fruit but once the trees reach a certain size and age, they stop bearing fruit. It is then that the trees can be cut down and used to create wood products. The removal of the old trees makes space for farmers to plant new mango trees. This not only means that none of the wood is wasted but offers a supplementary income to mango wood farmers. Mango woos is a hard wood that comes in many shades of light and dark.

The she sham wood we use is taken from sustainable forests and is government certified.

Paints/Dyes
We work with as many natural dyes as possible, such as tree bark and vegetable extract. All other dyes that are used with our products contain no harmful ingredients and are AZO free and chemical free dyes and meet with EU legislation.

Metals
Our frames are handmade from either a mix of recycled light metals or aluminiumRecycling aluminium requires only 5% of the energy and produces only 5% of the CO2 emissions as compared with primary production and reduces waste going to landfill. Aluminium can be recycled indefinitely.

Glass
All Nkuku glass is 100% recycled. Although glass is one of the most harmless materials produced by the world (this is because it is essentially made of raw materials) it does not break down in landfill. Recycling glass not only saves energy (50% less energy than that required to make new glass) but is an ongoing process, as glass can be recycled continually. This means we can create new beautiful glass products with less impact on our environment.

All these wonderful products are sent to you directly from Nkuku on our behalf - they are processed and shipped within a day of your order. However, as the range is so large, there may be sometimes when one or two items are temporarily out of stock. If this is the case (you'll be very unlucky if it is as 99% will always be in stock) - we will notify you right away and you can either order and we'll deliver as soon as the item is back in stock or we can let you know when it is back in stock and we will temporarily refund you - the choice is yours. If you want to be 100% sure you can call us directly on 01491 836401 and we'll double check for you.