Profession / role:

Marine Conservationist - Eco Entrepreneur

Company / organisation:

UniquEco - the (Flipflop) Recycling Co.

Website (if you have one):

www.uniqueco-designs.com

My primary role in relation to fashion is:

Consumer, Supplier, Consultant

I am looking to discover or buy

Marketing and sales persons, designers interested in making a difference through eco designs; financial advisers

About me / About business or organisation:

A marine conservationist turned eco-entrepreneur after years of working for Non-Governmental Agencies in the conservation and development marine sector. Committed to making a difference to ocean and world conservation through flipflop recycling and fashion.

Career history / Company history:

Date Organisation Position Location
October 2008 - onwards International Trade Centre, WTO/UN
Consultant Kenya
Facilitating and managing international orders from European Fashion Houses and acting as an environmental advisor to establish monitoring tools to assess impact. Working for and with the ITC which uses Ethical Fashion to build sustainable trade relationships between the international fashion system and African disadvantaged groups and communities (with particular reference to women informal entrepreneurs), designers and SMEs, with the aim to reduce poverty and to foster international, regional and domestic trade.

Date Organisation Position Location
October 2007 - onwards Marula Studios, the Eco Hub
Director/Active Kenya
Directing and managing the Nairobi Based Eco-Hub, Marula Studios where UniquEco is housed. This was set up in an effort to bring eco and ethical fashion closer to the local resident and visitor to Kenya. This is the first such initiative in Kenya. This supports other Eco-Ethical initiatives in Kenya and takes on interesting and dynamic initiatives

Date Organisation Position Location
Aug 05 - onwards UniquEco – the (Flipflop) Recycling Co
Director/Active Kenya
Directing and managing the strategic, marketing and operational aspects of this socio-eco entrepreneurship in an effort to a) strengthen the business b) raise awareness and efforts to manage the oceans better and c) provide jobs to skilled rural and disadvantaged people. Through increased sales and efficient production, greater awareness on ocean issues particularly in Africa will be achieved. Currently the company works with over 120 coastal community members in Kenya, and has a work force of 20. Sales of over Euro 00,000 were made in 2008 and over 3 tons of rubber recycled. A life size Whale – Mflame – was also produced to raise issues on whaling and a life size Giraffe to raise issues of Ethical Fashion and beauty.

Date Organisation Position Location
Jan 1996 – June 2008 WWF, IUCN, FAO, NEPAD, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and UNEP Marine conservationist Kenya
12 years of work heading marine conservation projects along the north coast of Kenya, bordering Somalia, consulting workshops and training sessions in Tanzania, Indonesia, Maldives, Kenya and the Western Indian Ocean on fisheries, marine protected areas, species conservation and policy works.