How a Zimbabwean Entrepreneur Is Giving Fabric Waste New Life

BY NATHAN GUMA

IN Harare, Zimbabwe, where tonnes of fabric waste are discarded every month, Chipo Mataka, a young entrepreneur, saw more than just trash, she saw opportunity.

“I had developed a hobby of rug-making using unwanted clothing, a friend at church taught me the skill. I was a third-year Electronic Engineering student doing my industrial internship,” she says.

“In a quest to find more raw materials, that’s when I discovered the amount of fabric waste produced by tailors, which I estimate to be more than one tonne per month in Harare only.”

Since then, what began as a simple rug-making hobby in 2020 has evolved into Craftastics Zimbabwe, a small but growing enterprise turning textile waste into fashion pieces and home décor.

This year, her dedication earned her significant recognition, as she was selected for the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship, run by the US Department of State, where she was placed under the Business Track at Rutgers State University of New Jersey.

She says she would like to bring insights from U.S. recycling systems and exposure to a clean environment to scale her company, Craftastics Zimbabwe, which has been promoting sustainable waste management in Zimbabwe.

“While in the U.S., I went on site visits to recycling companies, community initiatives and from the networking with both American and African professionals, I got new green ideas that I would want to test and implement in my community,” she says.

“Going forward I aim to increase our recycling capacity from current 50kg per month to at least one tonne of textile waste per month, and establish a closed-loop recycling business to create a zero-waste community through partnerships with other green initiatives. I believe in the power of togetherness and together we can create a clean environment.”

Innovation and sustainable waste management

She has been giving waste a new purpose, turning old rugs and abandoned fabric into rugs, storage baskets, bags, wall hangings and even jewellery.

Her day begins with collecting fabric scraps left over by dressmakers and other manufacturing companies that use textiles and produce fabric waste from their processes.

“Next, we sort according to colour, texture and type. We design then we use different types of handcrafting techniques – braiding, turfting, crotchet, knitting, sewing – most of these I have got from women in my network.

Tailors in Harare have been helpful in providing her with her much-needed raw material, used fabric.

“The community of tailors prefers us because we are offering them a free and environmentally friendly waste disposal method, sometimes we pay them a very small token if we can,” she says.

“However, challenges arise with residents due to Zimbabwe’s limited textile recycling facilities. Many still resort to dumping waste despite witnessing its consequences, unhygienic surroundings, clogged drains, and smoke-filled air from burning fabric.”

Opportunities

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the global fashion industry generates over 92 million tonnes of textile waste annually, with Africa bearing the brunt of second-hand clothing imports and fast-fashion discards.

However, the quality of second-hand clothes has been gradually declining, with the majority of imports ending up in landfills either because they are too damaged or outdated to be resold.

A significant portion of imported used textiles are synthetic, and their production involves textile wet processing – a treatment that includes pretreatment, dyeing, printing, and finishing. This process relies heavily on massive amounts of chemicals and dyes, posing a substantial threat to water systems.

It is against this background that Chipo’s work is more than a personal venture, but a case study of Africa’s youth-led innovation space using available resources.

Impact

Beyond income, Chipo’s organisation is empowering residents on proper and sustainable waste management.

She says, while her organisation is also promoting artisans’ artistry and craftsmanship, they are still making inroads into incorporating the youth, so that they can stay out of social ills.

“We are currently working with a few young people, two men and one woman, on a part-time basis, and we hope to engage more youths as artisans. Most of our artisans, however, are elderly women (four in total). Beyond earning commissions, they also experience therapeutic benefits from handcrafting, such as stress relief,” she says.

“It’s difficult to convince the youth. While the idea of turning rubbish into rubies for environmental care fascinates them and they appreciate the company’s vision, the financial returns often demotivate them. As a small company still relying on intensive manual labour, our processes can drain their enthusiasm. They want the easiest and quickest way to earn money.”

Sustainability

Chipo says she sees sustainable handcrafts helping reduce fabric-related imports.

“In Zimbabwe we import majority of fabric material, second-hand clothing and we are experiencing fast fashion from mass imported goods, hence more fabric waste. If we embrace sustainable productions, it will not only reduce waste from the environment but also reduce imports,” she says.

“This will also promote unique designs in fashion because using waste means working with bits and pieces of various fabrics, creating a fresh and distinctive look for our outfits. Some developed countries have embraced upcycling and clothing recycling, but Africa is still lagging behind. I believe sustainable handcrafts and manufacturing can significantly reduce waste across supply chains in African communities.”