Restyling mitumba : How upcycling is shaping fashion

Some of the products from Maisha by Nisria, a Rift Valley-based programme working with vulnerable women and young adults.

Where most people see a disposable curtain, an old pair of jeans or a forgotten jacket, Rosy Waruku sees possibility. As founder of Rosen.j Handmade, a Nairobi-based sustainable fashion brand, she has built a business out of upcycling used materials.

“I work with discarded textiles and second-hand fabrics, transforming them into garments people can wear,” she says.

“I also restyle thrifted or used garments to fit a client’s taste or size. Instead of dumping or donating clothes you no longer wear, we can extend their life by creating something that matches your style.”

Though she began upcycling more than 10 years ago, fashion was never part of Rosy’s plan. Until 2025, she worked in ICT after studying computer science.

“The first thing I made was a pouch out of a dry cleaner’s coat cover,” she recalls.

“That was in 2013. From there, I kept repurposing things and improving my skills through books, YouTube tutorials and experiments. I didn’t know what I was doing was good for the planet. I was just being creative.”

Her passion grew into a business during the pandemic, when she repurposed fabrics into face masks.

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One of the Rosy Waruku's up-cycled creations at her workshop in Nairobi.

“I even had to take a break recently because there was a backlog. So far, it’s just me in the business,” she says.

Kenyan consumers are comfortable buying second-hand clothes, but Rosy says the challenge is helping them see the value of upcycled pieces.

“The value proposition is that they are getting something custom-made. You might find something nice while thrifting, but it doesn’t fit well. With upcycling, it can be fitted to your current measurements and liking,” she says.

She prefers woven fabric and cotton, but denim dominates her orders.

“I complete at least four custom pieces every week, with most requests involving denim,” she says.

She sources materials from Think Twice stores and sometimes thrifts specifically for hardware like zippers and buttons.

“This is a hack because you get unique things this way,” Rosy says.

Her services range from Sh400 for hemming to Sh600 for waistband alterations, with custom designs quoted separately.

“Customisation generates the most business. I believe when I introduce ready-to-wear pieces, that will be the money-maker,” she adds.

Upcycling is complex. One of the challenges is having to accommodate the deconstruction of the already-existing design, and finding the best possible design so that rather than diminish what you have in mind, it makes it better.

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“There are many fabrics like polyester that people wear a few times before discarding them. They are not made to last,” she says.

Junior Orina, the founder of Nairobi Apparel District (NAD), also views discarded textiles as a canvas for wearable art.

“I started customising denim pieces with hand-drawn artwork in 2018. I thought they were cool, so I posted them online, and people liked them. Some made orders, and I realised it could be a thing,” he says.

A Rosy Waruku's up-cycled creation at her workshop in Nairobi.

Today NAD is best known for bold, vibrant custom denim pieces. While he still reconstructs thrifted garments, his work now includes ready-to-wear collections, bespoke designs and garments made from pre-consumer fabrics.

Like Rosy, he finds working with existing garments challenging.

“There are people who shred used garments and create new fabrics, but that technology is not here yet,” he says.

Orina sources material from Maziwa market, choosing based on fabric composition, texture and weight.

“I prefer cotton. The texture and weight matter, since it can be hard for materials of different weights to flow well together,” he says.

His typical customer is “bold, a global traveller, an Africanist, open-minded and conscious about the environment”.

Ready-to-wear and custom pieces retail at Sh5,000 to Sh30,000. Sourcing, however, is unpredictable.

“You go to the market, get this fabric and create something nice, but when you return, you don’t find it. Inconsistency makes it difficult to create a stable product,” he says.

Upcycling is also equipping young people with skills. That is the thinking behind Maisha by Nisria, a Rift Valley-based initiative working with vulnerable women, children and young adults.

“Maisha creates one-of-one garments from upcycled fabrics, with every design made only once,” says Cynthia Mwangi, a representative.

“Second-hand materials are easier to access, but we also wanted to impress the philosophy that you already have what you need. We told them they didn’t have to go to Nairobi for materials. They could go home, look at an old pair of jeans or curtains and work with that.”

The organisation sources materials through donations and second-hand markets. Prices range from Sh8,000 to Sh25,000. Cynthia says the market has been receptive, especially when customers interact with garments at shows or markets. Their products have also found buyers abroad, especially in the UAE.

Known for bold garments made from heavier materials such as curtains and off-cuts, Maisha is working towards producing more everyday items.

“Our pieces are niche, but people want more everyday items they can put on and go,” she says.

Earlier this month, Maisha graduated 23 students after six months of training and hopes to train 50 by the end of the year. A grant programme launched last year aims to train 100 young adults over 18 months.

“Before the grant we trained two people every six months,” Cynthia says.

“Since May last year we’ve trained about 48 under the programme. Overall, we’ve trained about 60.”

“We realised the cycle of empowerment only ends when someone can make an income,” she says.

Some graduates have started businesses, while others have found jobs. Cynthia credits social media for expanding visibility.

“For a small organisation based outside Nairobi, that visibility has been key in opening doors for sales and partnerships,” she says.

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