How Ben's Originals are made
Every product from Ben’s Originals is made with care in Nairobi, Kenya. We work closely with two different teams. One specialises in crafting our hats, and the other handles our shorts, fleeces and bow ties. Each group brings their own expertise and creativity to the process, and without them, Ben’s Originals wouldn’t be what it is.
Our shorts, fleeces and bow ties are made in a bright, open workshop tucked away in Kikuyu, Nairobi. From cutting the fabrics to the final stitch, everything is done slowly and properly with a big focus on quality, fit and finish.
Our hats are made by another incredible team, each one cut and sewn individually. The patterns are bold and complex. The way the fabrics are cut means no two hats are ever quite the same. It’s not mass production it’s thoughtful, small-batch craft.
The people behind our products are at the core of the brand. We work in close partnership with them, listen to their ideas, pay fair wages, and build every collection together. Making things this way takes time but we believe the result is worth it.
OUR VALUES
One of my aims when I started Ben's Buckets was to ensure that we always followed the slow fashion movement. As a result we produce our hats in small batches, aiming to never overproduce and so minimise waste.
I was once told a fact that the fashion industry produces a pile of waste that is the height of Everest every week!! We work to ensure that none of our products add to that pile!
I have been very careful selecting the partner factories that I work with to ensure they believe in and are striving towards the same values that I believe are important.
Being a developing nation, the minimum wage in Kenya is extremely low. We ensure that all our partner workshops are paying their tailors good wages, enabling everyone involved in the process to support themselves and others dependent on them. We also believe in gender equality in the work space; all our partner workshops have an equal balance of male and female tailors.
We are working hard to minimise the fabric waste that our factories produce, and are currently developing new kinds of packaging and products to use up all our fabric scraps.
If you would like to hear more about our manufacturing feel free to reach out and one of the team can give you more information.
