Bureh: Ethical, Fashionable and African!

Hello Lovelies!

The words ethical and fashion rarely come together and when there is some cause that fashion is trying to raise awareness about, it's probably hawking some uncute t-shirt (not sure that's a word, but we're going with it) with some minuscule percentage of your money going towards the cause you think you're helping  (serious side eye!). So when I ran into one of the owners of Bureh, a Sierra Leonian company that makes handcrafted belts on a mission "to provide sustainable jobs, source materials ethically and locally, and reinvest profits into start-ups that themselves can create more jobs and growth in the private sector", my curiosity was piqued. Could it really be?? A company with ethics? I'd heard they existed but I'd never come across one up close. I decided to check out the  Bureh website. Immediately I loved the belts! The fabrics are bright, colorful, different styles for both men and women and all oh so Salone! (Sierra Leone in Crio). I needed to know more.  I had the chance to have a phone chat with co founder Fatoma. He explained how the drive for creating Bureh belts goes beyond just having a successful company but to showcase to the world the heritage and innovative spirit of Sierra Leone.   As a father raising three children in Freetown (Capital of Sierra Leone), his children constantly serve as inspiration to ensure positive changes in his own country. Every single bit of the belts are locally handmade. The fabrics are sourced for the most part by businesses owned by women, the buckles by local artisans and sewn together by local tailors. Every step of making these handcrafted belts are checked for quality. I came to realize that more than a belt, these were works of art.  The company does plan to add more creations like handbags, shoes ( I squealed  with delight when I heard this) and pet collars. So my dears I encourage you to check out http://bureh.com/ and get yourself a belt and show off how ethically on point you are;)