nkuku
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From the outset we were inspired and humbled by the artisans we met and felt there was something we could do to work and support the artisans as well as providing a business opportunity for ourselves. Our passion for the environment and fair-trade practices as well as an interest in traditional crafts and interiors, combined to form the basis for Nkuku.
Our travels took us from Africa onto India where we explored more traditional crafts and met with more small businesses. Over the year we were away, we sent numerous purchases home on ‘slow boats from Africa and India with a view to selling them on their return.
Moving out of London to rural Devon, we started selling ‘our wares’ at markets from Totnes to Portobello, as well as county fairs, using the proceeds to return India to develop our first own designed collection of photo albums, journals, and photo frames. With limited funds for travel, we decided to focus on one country, working with a family business we had met on our trip.
Nkuku started out life as a wholesale business selling to independent stores throughout the UK before developing into a retail brand. Over the years, our dream of creating pieces for the home has become a reality and the collections now included a variety of homewares from tableware and storage, to lighting and furniture. Importantly, the very first journal is still in the collection today.