2. What are your sustainable priorities for the business?
Ministry of Tomorrow is a business that sits upon a five-point ethos:
Quality and Design
Ministry of Tomorrow defines luxury through a new expression of imaginative design that is elegant and at the same time distinctive and functional. Our fashion statement is: “Awe-inspiring works of art”, bags hand-crafted by skilled tailors who are proudly devoted to producing exceptional quality bags.
Job Creation
Our flagship project is located in Nairobi, Kenya just outside of Kibera, one of Africa’s largest slums. The facility we built sponsors skilled tailors who are recruited from within Kibera to make designer unisex bags, creating sustainable livelihoods for its employees.
Woman’s Empowerment
Woman’s empowerment is a core objective, exemplified by Gertrude “Michelle” Aricha, who has been sponsored by us to fully own and operate the factory that produces the company’s bags. Michelle in turn employs the tailors from Kibera to produce the luxury bags exclusively for Ministry of Tomorrow.
Sustainable Materials
The fabrics we utilize are cruelty free (no animal products), and are 100% Certified Organic and Fair Trade cotton. The cotton, for example, is sourced from Rajlakshmi Mills in Kolkata, India, that buys its cotton from the Chetna Organic Farmers Association – a collective of more than 6,000 organic cotton farmers. The farmers growing the cotton are paid a fair price for their crop, are not exposed to harmful pesticides, and the organic farming methods do not contaminate the earth.
Social and Environmental Activism
Social and environmental activism is woven into the fabric of MOT’s products. MOT products are produced with respect for the earth and humankind. The company closely examines the supply chain at each step of production. Responsible commerce is MOT’s way of doing business.
In order for long term goals to be achieved, each step of the process (planting seeds, growing cotton, spinning & ginning to the creation of the fabric, using low impact dyes for color, followed by stitching and lastly shipping) needs to be carefully looked at and respected. No harm to humanity, animals or the environment is fundamental. Ministry of Tomorrow products are produced with respect for the earth and humankind.