26th Oct, 2016
As a young student at the University of Nairobi, Lucy Bingham was unaware of where she would end up years later – at the head of an enterprise changing the lives of more than 3,000 households across Kenya.
While studying design at the university, she was able to gain deep knowledge on such topics of graphics, packaging, textiles and much more.
It was ultimately textiles that pickled her interest. Soon after, Lucy received the opportunity to go to the United States to participate in a program aimed at supporting future leaders in Kenya. While working with Training for Development, she networked with various leaders in the textile industry including the Fabric Workshop Museum.
Lucy began curating a program that trained apprentices interested in pursuing an art career, specifically within the textile industry. The museum additionally offered Lucy the opportunity to come to Kenya every summer to work among a community to offer her services, which was and still is a keen interest of hers.
“It was 2004 when I came back to Kenya and the country was in the process of revitalizing its textile industry”, Lucy said, “It was soon after that I discovered Makueni.”
Makueni County is in eastern Kenya. The introduction to Makueni was as the beginning of Lucy’s journey into the Kenyan textile industry, and ultimately with Tosheka Textiles.
“The owner of the ginnery [in Makueni] was excited about us coming in. So he really helped us in communicating with the community and he connected us with the water community development organization, which allowed us to bypass organizing the community.”
It was the organization that allowed Lucy to work with the community as partners to begin the expansion of her textile work. The additional partnership with St. Patrick’s Vocational Training Center, presented an opportunity to work with a community that is well-versed in the textile industry. Through the development of Tosheka Textiles, Lucy has been able to provide a sustainable income to these communities she partners with through the production of her product.
“Overall, it was an attractive location for us and it’s close to Nairobi, plus the ride to Makueni is gorgeous,” she says amusingly.
Additionally, the development of her airy-silk product was conceptualized in Makueni. The silk product is used to increase the quantity of fiber employed in the production of textiles used by Tosheka.
The market value of a meter of raw silk is valued at KSH550 but through the value addition process with the textile, Tosheka sells the product at KSH1,900 – which is a Ksh1,450 margin. The airy-silk product sales projections amount to $1.89 million per annum, with Tosheka receiving a 23 percent net profit margin, which is just shy of $500,000.
Tosheka Textiles is currently the sole producers of the airy-silk product in Kenya and East Africa.
Her experience working in the United States heavily shaped her approach to structuring her business. Initially, she knew that her experience in the States would be reflective of her future in Kenya.
“It’s a question of productivity and how people view their work,” Lucy said in reference to lessons learned while abroad, “It’s how people appreciate their workers, it’s not just about sitting on a screen and print table, or to dye. It’s about how people relate to each other.”
Once Lucy was able to formulate a relationship with her partners in Makueni she established Marafiki Arts, which is an exchange program that connects artists in the U.S with a community in Kenya. It allows the artists to come to Kenya to learn more about the industry.
According to a report published by McKinsey & Co, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda have the potential to trade goods worth Sh300 billion in the garments and apparel industry by 2025.
It would be a massive increase for a region that exported about Ksh34 billion worth of apparel in 2014.
McKinsey however says the vast potential will only be attained if major global apparel companies open sourcing offices in East Africa – which is what Tosheka is doing in its own small way.
“Back in the 90s the textile industry was very vibrant and I can now see history repeating itself. Through our introduction of the airy silk fabric, we are looking to engage a supply chain of more than 3,000 households,” says Lucy. “Things that were made outside of the industry can now be locally produced. It’s very exciting.”
Understanding the potential for the growth the industry maintains, Lucy stresses the need for partnerships. From curating a relationship with her producers to appearing on Lions’ Den watch here, she has continuously practiced the philosophy of harnessing relationships.
“I chose equity because I wanted a strategic partner. Equity is about bringing people together and it’s not always about the money. The partnership can bring into the company what is needed,” she stated, “Debt is a means of getting somewhere but getting a strategic partner is having someone that has experience, clout and connections.”
Lucy’s appearance on Lions’ Den successfully awarded her with a partnership with investors Olive Gachara and Wandia Gichuru. They agreed to invest KSH 8 Million for a 20 percent stake.
Lucy is positive about the future of Tosheka Texiles. “I see our main product, the airy-silk which is the first in the country and the first to be commercialized, to be a brand leader in Kenya, East Africa and globally as a product being sourced from Africa,” she stated.
And the growth prospects?
“Our core work is in producing textile in the form of fabric. It can be applied in any form – clothing, hospitality, furniture,” says Lucy. “It’s a huge industry and there is a large shortage of suppliers. We can be applicable to the larger market in any form.”
