Sustainable design considers the entire process.

What if you could start a company where not only the finished products spark joy, but the creation process also brings joy and dignity to the talented makers behind the jewelry? This describes Obakki’s sustainable model, where the company has created a positive cycle of upcycling brass, working with local co-op partners in Kenya, and promoting the finished designs worldwide to showcase talented makers in Nairobi, Kenya.

Net profits made from the Kenya Brass Collection and other collections are funneled into the Obakki Foundation, which has helped over 3 million people in Africa to date.

Setting up such a vast network and operation is no easy feat, and we had a chance to chat with Obakki Founder, Treana Peake, to discover the origin story of how it all began, Obakki’s new Kenya Brass Collection, and what moves her to dedicate herself to shining a light on artisans in indigenous communities.

T: Treana Peake, Founder of Obakki

P: Pendulum Magazine

P: Tell us a bit about your background. What collection of experiences brought you to where you are today?

T: I began working in philanthropy at a very young age, and I actually went on my first trip to Africa when I was 17 years old. During the process of working in these developing regions, one of my focuses was to create income-generating opportunities for these communities, and at the same time, I was encountering all of this incredibly beautiful craft that I was seeing along the way. A light went off when I realized that I could marry my love for philanthropy with my passion for design, all while providing a global market for these talented makers that I was meeting around the globe.

P: The business has evolved and expanded from a fashion label to handcrafted homeware and lifestyle collections. Can you take us through the story and process of how this evolution came about?

T: That’s right, through the years, Obakki’s commitment to slow design and sustainable consumption has grown. As a result, I began focusing on building relationships with indigenous artisan groups from around the globe to develop ethical, handcrafted homewares and lifestyle products, as well as smaller, more meaningful apparel collections. This evolution has allowed us to continue catering to conscious consumers who want more from the brands they choose to support. As a company that focuses on radical transparency, Obakki ensures that the highest levels of dignity, respect, and social responsibility are upheld in creating and sharing these special products that connect consumers to a real story.

P: What spurred you to focus on emphasizing slow design and intentional living in your brand? How do the brand and the designs embody the concept?

T: Intentional living involves slowing down to be mindful of the choices we’re making and understanding the impact that they have on the environment and the community around us. Whether it’s the purchases we make, how we spend our time, or the relationships we keep, the things that make up our lives should reflect our beliefs and values. This is the heart of Obakki - we believe we should know where our products come from, who made them, and what impact our consumption has on the world as a whole. The more we’ve met and worked with artisans around the world, the easier it was to expand product offerings to include additional items that embody slow design and intentional living.

P: How does the brand Obakki play a key role in the Obakki Foundation?

T: Simply put, Obakki’s net profits go toward supporting and expanding our artisan partnerships, and to development work done through the Obakki Foundation (the brand’s philanthropic counterpart). Focused on providing clean water access and livelihood initiatives in Africa, to date the Obakki Foundation has helped over 3 million people.

P: It has been more than a decade since you established the brand in 2005, what are some lessons you have learned along the way? What has been the most memorable story since you began your career?

T: I think the main thing that I’ve learned is that people experiencing challenging circumstances don’t want a handout, they want an opportunity to create change for themselves.

I was in Uganda doing work with the Obakki Foundation, and I walked into Bidi Bidi (the world’s largest refugee resettlement area) knowing that the women and children there had fled South Sudan in the face of a brutal civil war, escaping violence and famine. But, rather than meeting victims, we found a group of warriors––strong, resilient, remarkable women who were determined to build a new and better future for themselves. Working together, they created artwork that day which Obakki then used as the print for our Bidi Bidi scarf, and now 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this beautiful creation go directly to supporting livelihood initiatives for these women. There’s something incredibly moving about that process to me.

P: You have recently launched a new e-commerce website, what brought you to shift your focus from an offline boutique to an online store? Do you see e-commerce as the key focus moving forward or will you be considering a physical offline presence for the brand?

T: Given the current global pandemic, we will continue to put our focus on our online platform. However, there is a rich story behind each one of our products and we love to communicate those narratives directly to our customers. So, once things get back to normal and we can safely interact with one another again we will definitely begin hosting pop-up shops and other physical brand experiences.

P: Tell us more about the Kenya Brass Collection and its items. It’s Obakki’s debut collection of brass jewelry and home objects forged in the heart of Nairobi. What led you to decide to work with artisans to bring handcrafted pieces to your consumers?

T: Our debut collection of brass jewelry and home objects are made from 100% upcycled brass. The collection includes earrings, rings, bracelets, and necklaces, along with serving spoons. These gorgeous pieces are forged in the heart of Nairobi by a small co-op led by our artisan partner, Sylvester. Working with Sylvester was an easy decision––he is an extremely kind, humble, and talented man, and we feel incredibly honored to have partnered with him.

P: How do you select artisans to partner with? What are the key criteria you use to select an artisan and how do you support the artisans?

T: I’ve spent years building relationships with world-class artisans within their indigenous communities. All Obakki products have been handcrafted by these makers, and by respecting each individual artisan’s creativity and technique, Obakki helps to preserve vital traditional methods while elevating the hands that made them. Adhering to fair trade standards, Obakki works directly with artisans from concept to completion to ensure that the supply chain is sustainable and that partners are paid fairly and promptly.

With every Obakki purchase, consumers are supporting meaningful income opportunities for these artisans, their families, and their communities. Obakki provides a platform for these talented makers to share their craft with a global audience and the company’s entire mission is to put profits back into artisan development.

P: Given that each piece is handmade and the designs are intricate, how long does it take to create a single item?

T: This varies from artisan to artisan. For example in Mali, our partner Amadou hand-carves wooden bowls that take up to a week to complete, and in Mexico we have artisans making pottery that takes four days to finish. For us, the important thing is that we value and respect the methods and traditions behind each artisan’s craft, no matter how long that process takes.

P: Where did you get your inspiration for the Kenya Brass collection?

T: When we met Sylvester he was already working with upcycled brass that was repurposed from items that would have otherwise ended up in the trash. And for us, stainability is always our priority, so we love the concept of taking something forgotten or discarded and transforming it into something beautiful and new.

P: What is something you have yet to try with the brand that you are excited about and looking forward to trying?

T: Once we are able to do in-person events again I would love to organize a sort of bazaar that would feature work from makers all over the globe, highlighting the unique cultural traditions that are featured in the craft from our family of artisan partners.

P: It’s tough to see that far into the future right now for businesses in general, but what do you hope to accomplish with Obakki in the next year?

T: For me, it’s all about helping our artisan partners grow their businesses. If we see success as a company it means that they see success, and that’s what Obakki is all about.

In Treana’s words, she found warriors, not victims, when she wandered into Bidi Bidi. Obakki has given talented makers faced with different and sometimes difficult situations like the occupants of Bidi Bidi an opportunity to share their craft. The Kenya Brass Collection is elegant and minimal, and what a difference it makes to know the story behind the products. We want to thank Treana for giving us context into the design process and how each piece fits together into Obakki’s sustainable model. We look forward to the day when in-person pop-up events will allow us to interact with these beautiful designs.