sustainability
At Imani Collective, we strive to be transparent in our impact and social enterprise model. Every year we make it a top priority to care for the well-being of our artisans and the communities they live in “without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
We support the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which has set forth 17 SDGs that serve as a “call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. Our primary SDGs of focus are:
1 - No Poverty
8 - Decent work and economic growth
12 - Responsible consumption and production
responsibility
Local Sourcing
We are committed to only using locally sourced organic products to ensure we do our part to care for our environment and the people in it. By sourcing from local markets + vendors we are investing in the local economy, which is essential to the economic development in the area.
Imani Collective is proud to be a part of the 1% for the Planet community. 1% for the
Planet-approved Environmental Partners are carefully vetted environmental organizations eligible to receive certifiable funding from their members. This partnership is intended to advance our impact and involve more businesses and individuals in the environmental movement.
From the start to the end of product creation,
we ensure eco-friendly methods are used.
design philosophy
We create products that support our artisan‘s talents, inspired by the beauty of traditional African craftsmanship. We are committed to designing products safe for our environment and the entire family. We ensure eco-friendly methods are used from the start to the end of product creation. Our products are representations of empowerment, sustainable income, and artisanship.
canvas
our canvas products are screen printed in-house using natural dyes. After air drying, they are individual stuffed and hand-stitched.
wool
We take the time to prewash all materials by hand and allow them to air dry.
We use Mitin FF (a mothproofing agent harmless to humans) that removes the natural oils of the wool in order keep the yarn from bonding.
The left over yarn is used by our weavers to create their own custom rug and wall hanging designs sold at our soko shop.
natural dyes
All the dyes we use for our screen printing processes are plant-based and have no chemical toxins.
natural fibers
our woven baskets are made from a natural reed found locally in Turkana, Kenya.
leather
Our leather ornaments are made from repurposed leather scraps.
waste
We’ve seen a 35% decrease in fabric waste in 2022. We’ve accomplished this by reducing our initial cutpiece dimensions, streamlining our production process to reduce defective pieces, and upcycling scraps to create new pieces.
Packaging
In addition we are take into account all departments within our company to ensure we are taking steps to drive true systems of change. Since 2022, we are 100% plastic free.
We use a vibrant, water proof, and reusable cotton based wax fabric known locally as Kanga in place of plastic packaging.
Once shipments arrive safely at our Dallas warehouse, products are then packaged in recycled polymailers or in a box sealed with kraft tape, making it easy to recycle for our customers.
our economy
our social impact
