OUR STORY
Ashanti Empress is an ethical African fashion brand based between Ghana and Bristol, UK. The brand was born from the idea of using fashion as a means to address issues of poverty, capacity building, youth unemployment and female empowerment in Ghana.
We work directly with an amazing team of Ghanaian tailors, providing them with reliable, well paid work and training opportunities. Because we work on a small scale, we are able to directly connect the creators of Ashanti Empress clothing with the wearers of Ashanti Empress clothing!
When you buy any item from Ashanti Empress you are actively supporting and positively impacting the Ghanaian people we work with.
You can find out who makes our clothes here.
OUR PRINTS
We source all our fabrics in Ghana, a mix of imported and locally produced cotton textiles, including traditional African prints.
Our designs are often limited edition, as finding larger quantities of favourite prints can prove difficult. Over ten years, we’ve built strong relationships with women-run fabric stalls in Kumasi’s Kejetia Market, who help us track down the freshest new prints.
We also champion sustainability through our Colour Me Crazy patchwork, made from 100% recycled African fabric offcuts from our other designs. Led by Yaw N’safoah, this initiative rescues and repurposes over 2,000 metres of fabric each year, transforming waste into unique festival dungarees, jackets shirts and more.
WE DON'T JUST MAKE COLOURFUL CLOTHES
Social responsibility is at the core of Ashanti Empress. We work directly with 25 Ghanaian tailors, seamstresses, and craftspeople, ensuring fair wages while creating economic and creative opportunities. In Ghana, the clothing industry is largely informal, with most tailors operating from small roadside shops and relying on irregular, small-scale orders.
Our tailors all run their own tailoring shops and are commissioned to complete large bulk orders for Ashanti Empress. They estimate that 60-80% of their total annual business comes from Ashanti Empress contracts. This steady work has empowered many to expand their businesses, invest in new sewing machines, and transition from renting to owning their shops and homes.
INVESTING IN OUR TAILORS
We regularly come together as a team to discuss and decide on ways to improve our working structure, ensuring everyone’s voice is heard. These are some of the key policies we’ve implemented collectively to support our tailors.
- Fair & Transparent Pay – Our tailors set their own per-piece rates based on garment complexity. We regularly review and adjust wages to match inflation, ensuring fair pay for everyone.
- Interest-Free Loans – We offer loans to help with big expenses like new machinery or bulk payments such as rent, which in Ghana must be paid two years upfront.
- Fast & Secure Payments – Since many tailors don’t have bank accounts, we previously relied on cash payments. Now, we use mobile money, a widely used and secure transfer service in Ghana to pay our team.
- Investment in Equipment – We provided pattern-cutting machines to all our tailors, enabling them to cut bulk patterns more efficiently for both Ashanti Empress orders and other contracts.
- Annual Team Excursion – To celebrate the launch of each new collection, we organise a day trip for all our tailors, apprentices, and their children, bringing everyone together to relax and enjoy once the hardwork is over!