2022
North Africa
Sustainable Fashion Webinar
The Fashion Knowledge and Discussion for the New Generation in North Africa
March 19 & 20, 2:00 - 5:00 PM (GMT+2)
RAMADAN FUNDRAISING EDITION
#2022NorthAfricaSFW
#Production #Community #Circularity #Diversity #Business
Designed for you!
➤ First English-speaking webinar from North Africa dedicated to Sustainable Fashion.
➤ A webinar designed for Young Professionals, University Students, and Sustainability Advocates worldwide.
➤ The 2022 edition includes local experts from Morocco, Egypt, Sudan, and Tunisia.
- Morocco. Egypt. Sudan. Tunisia. -
Influenced by its proximity to Europe, North Africa enjoys a very special position in the international fashion industry that is increasingly changing towards greater sustainability. Traditional craftsmanship and production techniques shape local production even today.
The North Africa Sustainable Fashion Webinar is designed to introduce you to the issue of sustainability in the fashion industry as well as to give you the opportunity to engage with our experts and network. The expert talks will cover what the new generation cares the most about: how to found a sustainable fashion start-up, how artisanship is still integrated into today's production and design processes, how to reinvent cultural heritage, and how circularity is applied to secure long-term sustainable operations.
The Ramadan fundraising edition webinar is characterized by the fact that we have solely invited local speakers who can share their first-hand experiences with you and are familiar with the local culture. More than 50% of the proceeds of the webinar will be donated to support the local textile industry.
What You’ll Learn
Competitive advantages of North Africa with regard to artisanship, diversity, and natural materials.
Current challenges for sustainable business and ethical fashion growth in relation to its history, social and economic infrastructures.
Leading examples of sustainable fashion changemakers, marketing campaigns, circularity, and CSR practices in the region.
Digital methods to support North African artisans remotely as a responsible consumer.
Realistic visions and authentic voices from the local experts on the future of fashion and sustainable development in North Africa.
Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Attend
No commercial profits and markups. This webinar is entirely dedicated to Ramadan fundraising for supporting the ethical community in North Africa in times of the global pandemic. Revenues will be entirely transparent covering webinar organizational costs and the rest will be donated to the NGOs.
No geological hindrance. This webinar is a pioneer program that virtually gathers Moroccan, Egyptian, Sudanese, and Tunisian sustainable fashion and supply chain experts for the first time to speak for the purpose of education.
No headaches for language barriers. This webinar is completely held in English. It saves you time from having to master different dialects of Arabic, Amazigh, and French.
No beating around the bush by a middleman. This webinar brings you directly to the discussion of core problems and shows you the best practices available in the region.
No heavy travel costs involved. This webinar gives you insights into the North Africa fashion and artisan scene without the need for transportation and accommodation expenses.
Guest Speakers
/ The Changemakers of North Africa /
#PRODUCTION
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Anou, Artisan Leader and Keynote Speaker; Association Tithrite, Founder and Weaver (Morocco)
Kenza Oulghada is a traditional weaver, Artisan Leader and Keynote Speaker for Anou, Morocco's only artisan-owned and artisan-managed e-commerce platform. Kenza is also the founder of the Association Tithrite, which protects the products of women from the Middle Atlas Mountains from middlemen to help generate more income for the weavers. -
Yadawee, Founder & CEO (Egypt)
Hisham El Gazzar is a sustainable development consultant for micro, small and medium manufacturers, and exporters in Egypt. For 20 years, he has been the founder and CEO of Yadawee, an export company in the Egyptian handicrafts sector, with vast experience in the marketplace, distributional channels, exporting logistical requirements, costing, pricing, negotiation skills, and trade fair participation. -
NUCY, Founder (Sudan)
Nafisa Hafiz is the African Designer of The Year (SFW 2020), and founder of NUCY fashion label, ethically made in Sudan, uniting heritage and sustainable fashion to positively impact the world around us. Nafisa is also the founder of Sudan Fashion Future, a platform supporting Sudanese fashion designers to shape their future careers for more sustainability in the fashion industry. -
ALEXBANK, Head of CSR and Sustainable Development (Egypt)
Laila Hosny is the Head of CSR and Sustainable Development at ALEXBANK, the Intesa Sanpaolo group’s subsidiary in Egypt. She also founded the bank’s CSV flagship initiative “Ebda3 Men Masr EMM (Inspiration from Egypt)” empowering thousands of craftsmen/women via a holistic development approach incorporating product development, scalability access to finance, capacity building trainings and consultancy. -
Drosos Foundation, Country Director (Egypt)
Dr. Wessam is the Country Director of Drosos Foundation in Egypt, where she oversees the portfolio in Jordan and Lebanon, which supports entrepreneurship, economic empowerment, and creativity for youth. Prior to that, she served with United Nations Organizations, Care International, Abt Associates and has over 25 years of experience in managing development projects in the fields of HIV, Health, Gender, and Education in the Middle East, in North and East Africa as well as the United States. -
Thaat, Founder (Egypt)
Peri Abou Zied is the founder of Thaat, an innovative consulting and handicrafts school and lab, having trained more than 3000 girls and women from different parts of Egypt and currently employs 60 women, of which 70% are refugees. With an academic background in art and design. Peri also founded two lifestyle labels, PAZ.Cairo is a heritage label reviving traditional tailoring and Mamluki cording embroidery and caftans.
#COMMUNITY
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Fashion Revolution Egypt, Country Coordinator; Up-fuse, Co-Founder; Sustainable Fashion Alliance MENA, Founding Member. (Egypt)
Rania Rafie is a sustainable fashion advocate and social entrepreneur. She is the Country Coordinator of Fashion Revolution Egypt, a founding member of the Sustainable Fashion Alliance MENA, and co-founded a sustainable fashion brand Up-fuse. She was awarded “Business Women of Egypt in 2017” by the Association of Business Women of Egypt. -
Morocco Fashion Future, Co-Founder; The Oriental Hybrid, Founder; Sustainable Fashion Alliance MENA, Founding Member (Morocco/Taiwan)
Reiting Lee is an award-winning creative digital marketer, multilingual editor, trend curator, fashion sustainability consultant, and intercultural education speaker from Taiwan R.O.C., who has lived in Fez and Rabat. Having studied Environmental Design at Beijing Institute of Technology and Business Sustainability Management at the University of Cambridge CISL, Reiting has been curating pioneering social projects to assist indigenous tribes from the age of 12 with media presence as she travels across 6 continents. -
Fashion Revolution Sudan, Country Coordinator; DAVU Studio, Founder; Slow Fashion Movement ARB, Founding Member (Sudan)
Hadeel Osman is a creative director, stylist, and sustainability consultant. She is amongst the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 List (2020) and the 100 Most Influential Young Africans (2020) and is the founder of multidisciplinary creative studio DAVU Studio. Hadeel is passionate about the methodology of continental secondhand fashion markets and the emerging sustainable fashion industry. -
Morocco Fashion Future, COO; Azil Studio, Founder (Morocco)
Abdessamad Azil is a designer, art director, and photographer. His work ranges from identities, print, and digital design to photography and art direction for graphic and fashion design. He worked for different agencies and a wide range of brands mainly focused on fashion and currently runs his own creative studio based in Casablanca.
#CIRCULARITY
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Fashion Revolution Sudan, Country Coordinator; DAVU Studio, Founder; Slow Fashion Movement AEB, Founding Member (Sudan)
Hadeel Osman is a creative director, stylist, and sustainability consultant. She is amongst the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 List (2020) and the 100 Most Influential Young Africans (2020) and is the founder of multidisciplinary creative studio DAVU Studio. Hadeel is passionate about the methodology of continental secondhand fashion markets and the emerging sustainable fashion industry. -
Dayra, Founder & CEO (Egypt)
Basma Tawakol is the Founder and CEO of Dayra, an e-commerce platform for selling secondhand clothes with a purposeful twist at reasonable prices. She is also the Head of Commercials and Operations at Mahrati E3mel Business, with over 10 years of experience in entrepreneurship, technology industry, and community development. -
Egyptian Clothing Bank, CEO (Egypt)
Manal Saleh is the CEO of Egyptian Clothing Bank, an NGO which upcycles, recycles, and sorts clothing donations to underprivileged communities in Egypt. Manal is an environmentalist and a philanthropist who believes that community work should incorporate sustainable development with sustainable recycling and upcycling methods.
#DIVERSITY
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The Sahara Collection, Co-Founder (Egypt)
Zeina Sabry is the co-founder of The Sahara Collection, a brand producing locally and ethically sourced fashion, combining high-end trends, Egyptian cultural mix and rich vintage elements, all while empowering women in the workforce. Zeina is also a writer, designer and food enthusiast based in Cairo, Egypt. -
Culture & Communication Advisor (Sudan/UK)
Sara Ali is an award-winning British-Sudanese culture and communication advisor and sustainability fashionista in the business of luxury with 27 years of experience in African and Arabian markets. Her sharp views on race, colonialism, representation, climate change, and human rights have made her a trusted counsel and she has advised visionaries like Virgil Abloh, Do Ho Suh and entrusted by two Royal Households, Harvey Nichols, Sir David Adjaye, Giorgio Armani, MBC, and Bicester Village for Cameramoda. -
Kaftan Mag, Founder (Morocco)
Souad El Mghari is a Moroccan digital innovation entrepreneur, lecturer, and content creator behind fashion and lifestyle blog Kaftan Mag. Souad was a journalist for Morocco’s leading women’s magazine Femmes du Maroc, then editor-in-chief of Mademoiselle Maroc and she is currently running her Digital Marketing consultancy business.
#BUSINESS
INCUBATOR & RETAIL
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IMPACT Lab, Co-Founder (Morocco)
Salma Kabbaj is a founding member for the Startup Ecosystem Federation in Morocco MSEC, the Vice President of the Startup and Digital Transformation Commission at CGEM and is the co-founder of IMPACT Lab, a leading innovation accelerator in Morocco, with more than 240 startups supported in North and West Africa. Her work supports the development of innovative solutions to face Africa's socio-economic challenges. -
Nahdet El Mahrousa, Social Enterprises Support Manager (Egypt)
Nour AbdelGhaffar is a Social Enterprises Support Manager at Nahdet El Mahrousa, a civil society organization that generates positive and lasting impacts on cultural, social, economic, and environmental development by sustainably activating and engaging the youth in various developmental programs. Nour’s work revolves around empowering communities and strengthening social entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives. -
Afkar, Chief Incubation Officer (Tunisia)
Mayssa Mrabet holds an Executive MBA from South Mediterranean University and is the Chief Incubation Officer at Afkar, which catalyzes social, cultural, and creative innovation by supporting Tunisian entrepreneurs in developing their projects, via a focused 6-month program. -
Share Zone, Co-Founder (Sudan)
Etimad Ibrahim is one of the co-founders and an acting executive director of Share Zone start-up hub, a platform that aims to support startups, youth-led organizations, and creative projects in the Darfur region of Sudan, by advising on how to start, grow, flourish and sustain businesses long-term. Etimad comes from an IT and managerial background, starting her entrepreneurial journey with the hub. -
MyTindy, Founder (Morocco)
Aida Kandil is a Moroccan entrepreneur and the founder of MyTindy, an online marketplace that currently empowers more than 100 handcrafters and artisans in Morocco to connect and sell to an international audience. MyTindy provides support in the form of training and handling vendor logistics, with products sold in over 20 countries. -
Jozee Boutique, Co-Founder (Egypt)
Joseline El Kholy is the co-founder of Jozee Boutique, a slow fashion brand & retailer that specializes in designing, producing, and marketing handmade trendy garments for women, with an emphasis on our Egyptian heritage and culture. It also serves as a platform showcasing local designers, NGO’s artisans in handicrafts through the online store and retail shop to both local and international markets. -
DIY Sudan, Co-Founder & Spokesperson (Sudan)
Hisham Yousif is a co-founder of DIY Sudan, an online community that helps market and sell handmade goods, garments and accessories, while assisting the makers by providing raw materials, equipment, along with trainings to help develop their skill sets. Hisham is personally passionate about DIY projects and works with the core team to elevate the handicraft community. -
TNMADE, Founder (Tunisia)
Nidhal Fekih Salem is an IT specialist living between Tunisia and France and is the founder of TNMADE, a sales platform for 100% Tunisian products. The platform showcases a blend of emerging artists, creators, designers, industrialists, and manufacturers with quality products from a long history deeply rooted in Tunisian tradition.
#BUSINESS
BRAND
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IDYR, Co-Founder (Morocco)
Amal Kenzari is the co-founder of IDYR, which revives the story of Boucherouite weaving and all its values through handmade, woven leather goods and accessories, by a selection of exceptional craftsmen. The production is locally in Morocco and 100% handmade out of recycled new fabric cuts, produced in clothing factories. -
SeaSkin, Founder (Morocco)
Nawal Allaoui is a textile engineer currently pursuing her Ph.D. in fish properties and the founder of SeaSkin, a social enterprise that aims to produce and market luxury leather goods from fish waste leather, and RHEA, a sustainable brand using mixed materials while creating job opportunities for women. SeaSkin was selected by the British Council in 2019 to be presented to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, and Nawal was awarded as the top 3 social enterprise changemakers by Worldskills. -
Up-fuse, Co-Founder (Egypt)
Yara Yassin is the co-founder and marketing director of Up-fuse, a lifestyle brand that creates bags, apparel, and footwear, made of recycled plastic and other sustainable materials to celebrate the originality of every individual while being socially and environmentally conscious. Yara is passionate about sustainability, design, and women empowerment. -
Saqhoute, Founder (Egypt)
Norhan El Sakkout is the founder and creative director of Saqhoute; a slow fashion women’s ready-to-wear brand that was launched to support the individuality and ambition of modern-day Egyptian women. Norhan is also an Entrepreneur In Residence at TA Telecom where she heads product innovation and development in the fintech space. -
BULGA, Co-Founder (Egypt)
Gigi Ibrahim is the co-founder of BULGA, a high-quality, unisex, handmade leather footwear brand that incorporates several Egyptian handicrafts within each design. Each piece is made by artisanal groups with locally sourced materials, striving for positive impact socially, culturally, and environmentally. -
Peter & Black, Founder (Sudan) Mohamed Adam is a Sudanese fashion designer, textile engineer, and the founder of Peter & Black. The slow fashion, handmade leather brand uses by-product materials, natural dyes, and recyclable packing papers to provide luxurious leather pieces which pay homage to the diversity of Sudanese heritage, African art geometry, and high-tech architecture.
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Guya Gang, Co-Founder & Marketing Manager (Tunisia)
Mahdi Houli is the co-founder and marketing manager at GUYA GANG, an ethical eco-friendly clothing brand specialized in Yoga, Hippie, and Cozy Wear. The brand uses recycled fabrics from the waste of textile factories in Tunisia, while also functioning as an online and in-store marketplace for natural, eco-friendly brands.
#MODERATOR
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University of the Arts London, Centre for Sustainable Fashion of London College of Fashion, Professor (UK)
Kate Fletcher (Ph.D.) is a Professor at the Centre for Sustainable Fashion of London College of Fashion (University of the Arts London), UK, and is a co-founder of the Union of Concerned Researchers in Fashion. She is one of the most cited scholars in fashion and sustainability, and her work on post-growth fashion, fashion localism, decentring durability, and Earth Logic, defines and challenges the field. She has written and/or edited nine books available in seven languages.*Image credit: Jack Grange
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Sustainable Fashion Alliance MENA, Founding Member (Egypt)
May is a founding member of the Sustainable Fashion Alliance MENA and the Co-Founder of the sustainable streetwear brand Scarabaeus Sacer. May is a psychologist turned social entrepreneur. She has a passion for human development and creating social change. -
Independent Journalist (Egypt)
Hadeer Elhadary is an award-winning Egyptian freelance journalist, who writes environmental stories with a focus on sustainability, climate change risks, and solutions for a better and more sustainable future. She had fellowships from Metcalf institute - Rhode Island University and Climate Tracker, winning several awards for her stories from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Africa 21, Egyptian Syndicate, and Plan International. -
Designer & Researcher (Canada)
Maggie Jonk is a designer, researcher, and sustainable culture advocate, with over 10 years of experience working in the MENA region. Maggie co-founded the OE-O design studio in Dubai and conducts international workshops, contributes to publications on artisanal practices, as well as consults on community building and programming in the creative industries. -
Chari.co, Founder (Morocco)
Ismael Belkhayat is a Moroccan serial tech entrepreneur graduated from Cornell University and the founder of Chari.co, an E-commerce and Fintech app helping small retailers in Francophone Africa to procure inventory and facilitate payment and delivery. -
studio MM04, Co-Founder & CEO (Germany)
Max Gilgenmann is CEO and co-founder of studio MM04, a consulting agency for sustainability strategies and fashion communication. He is the chairperson of Fashion Revolution Germany and chairs the NGO Drip by Drip. Max co-created the Fashionsustain Conferences, the Neonyt Trade Show Hub, 202030 - The Berlin Fashion Summit and is now co-leading a consortium that is building Germany’s first physical fashion hub for sustainable innovation.
Organizer & Organizing Partners
The Oriental Hybrid.
The Oriental Hybrid is the first Social Media Marketing & E-PR agency combining native specialists with cross-market experiences in both the Chinese and Arabic-speaking professional environments. Aiming to dedicate a minimum of 20% profits from each project to support cultural heritage, living, and education in the most needed regions.
IG/FB: @theorientalhybrid
Morocco Fashion Future.
Morocco Fashion Future is a Collaborative Platform built in 2018 by a group of fashion professionals and enthusiasts that are determined to bring a change to the Moroccan fashion scene - a transparent and cooperative international fashion network with sustainability and humanity development in mind.
IG/FB: @moroccofashionfuture
Fashion Revolution Egypt.
Fashion Revolution Egypt is part of the global Fashion Revolution movement, which is a movement calling for a transparent fashion industry that values people and planet over profit.
IG/FB: @fash_rev_egypt
Fashion Revolution Sudan.
Fashion Revolution Sudan is part of the global Fashion Revolution movement, which is a movement calling for a transparent fashion industry that values people and planet over profit.
IG/FB: @fashrevsudan
Community & Impact Partners
Sustainable Fashion Alliance MENA.
Sustainable Fashion Alliance MENA is built by a group of fashion designers, brand owners, stylists, and industry players who are passionate about sustainability from a social, cultural, and environmental aspect. The group offers a platform to share ideas, concepts, discuss and hopefully collaborate towards bigger successful projects & events.
IG: @sfamena , FB Group: /sfamena
Slow Fashion Movement ARB.
Slow Fashion Movement ARB is one of the local teams for Slow Fashion Movement, which was launched to create Arabic content that addresses, educates, and raises awareness on the subject of sustainable fashion, keeping in mind the perspectives and cultures within the region of Arabic-speaking countries.
IG: @slowfashion.arb
Garment Chain.
Garment Chain is a company that provides integrate marking and coding solution for product tracking and product traceability using blockchain technology.
The tracking of a product or package enables the viewer to identify the location of the object at the current time. Traceability reveals the path a product has taken from production through distribution to its destination. Both of these tasks require the printing of an identification code on the product or package, which can then be accessed at any time through an online tracking system.
www.garmentchain.com
Media Partner (TBA)
Media Partner is an entity that helps our voices to be heard and create a greater media impact through journalism.
YES, our funds go to these NGOs.
Anou - Association Tithrite.
Association Tithrite is located in the small agricultural village of Ait Hamza, approximately 100km south of the Moroccan city of Fez. While the association creates a wide variety of woven products, it specializes in Hanbal rugs that are unique to the Middle Atlas region of Morocco. The association is currently training more girls in weaving techniques to further preserve the area’s traditional weaving skills. The rugs represent more than just income for the women, they also support the association’s vision of becoming a model of community-led development. Tithrite has been working on getting land to build a workshop for the cooperative. Acquiring a proper workshop aims to give Tithrite the opportunity to expand its social and economic impact on the youth and the women of the region.
Anou is Morocco's only artisan-owned and artisan-managed e-commerce platform. When you buy from Anou 100% of the paid price goes to the artisan that made the product compared to only 4% on the market average. A purchase from Anou supports artisans as they free their communities from exploitation and strive for a fair wage. Anou was recognized in 2020 by Ashoka as one of the most socially impactful projects of the MENA region. And Anou artisans have been building over the last 10 years one of the most ambitious supply chains for craft in Africa: a sustainable dye studio, a carbon-negative wool mill, easy-to-use platforms that connect artisans and wholesalers...and much more!
Egyptian Clothing Bank.
The Egyptian Clothing Bank is a specialized NGO in providing suitable fitting functional clothing items to the deserving groups in the communities we serve all over Egypt. The Egyptian Clothing Bank serves seven groups of beneficiaries: Underprivileged university students, Underprivileged school students, Orphans, Deserving Elderly and Special Needs, Underprivileged athletes, Orphan newlywed couples, and poor border settlements through relief convoys.
Egyptian Clothing Bank provisions are seasonal. Donations for this Ramadan will be used for preparing new Eid clothes sets for children. This year, the Egyptian Clothing Bank will be targeting the families of Female Headed Households specifically. Some of the poorest villages in Egypt have a high percentage of FHH reaching 48%.
Register Now.
Registration Fee: 50€ Professional Admission, 40€ Student Admission (for 2 days).
Each registration comes with access to the archived recording of the program for one year as well as the materials provided by the speakers after completion of the webinar.
50% proceeds go to support the local textile industry and are donated to the following institutions: The Anou (Morocco) and Egyptian Clothing Bank (Egypt).
In case the booking link doesn’t work, copy+paste this: https://2022northafricasfw.eventbrite.com
Buy Recordings: 40€ (available for 1 year).
Each purchase comes with access links to the archived recording of the program for one year as well as the materials provided by the speakers after completion of the webinar.
Please make payment via PayPal to: Lee Rei Ting reitinglee@gmail.com
Or email us your inquiries at theorientalhybrid@gmail.com
FAQs
When are the Webinars?
The Webinars will be held on Saturday, March 19th, 2-5pm & Sunday, March 20th, 2-5pm (GMT+2, Cairo/Egypt Time.)
What if I can attend only one day, have to leave the webinar early or I am late?
That is not a problem. All participants will have access to the recorded session for one year. The link will be sent to you after the webinar, so you can catch up on the part you missed.
How do I register?
By purchasing a ticket via Eventbrite you are automatically registered for the webinar. We will take care of everything else.
I am not familiar with the topic so far, can I still participate?
Of course! The webinar is especially for interested students and those who are new to the topic. We will give a general introduction to the topic and cover all the important factors to give you an insight into sustainable fashion in North Africa.
Who can I contact if I have further questions?
Please contact one of our coordinators: Reiting (theorientalhybrid@gmail.com) or Rania (egypt@fashionrevolution.org) by email or Instagram messages to @theorientalhybrid
How do I register?
By purchasing a ticket via Eventbrite you are automatically registered for the webinar. We will take care of everything else.
Is there a deadline for registering for the webinar?
There is no deadline for registration, but the contingent is limited as we can only accept a limited number of participants due to our platform capacity. Therefore it is better to register early on.
When will I receive the access data?
We will send you the Zoom link by email at least one day before the respective webinar day.
Why do I have to pay for the event?
The webinar is a charity event to raise money for Ramadan for institutions in North Africa to support the local sustainable fashion industry and ethical fashion campaign organizations.
Where will the money be donated to?
50% of the proceeds from our ticket sales will be donated to the largest local NGOs supporting artisans, women, and orphans in North Africa: Anou - Association Tithrite (Morocco) and Egyptian Clothing Bank (Egypt).