Weaving family and work together

Erin Allan, an American married to a Kenyan, wanted an opportunity to establish a profitable business that would also enable her and other Kenyan women to spend time with their children. She recounts Totoknits’ journey to TRICIA WANJALA

1) What is Totoknits?

It is a business where we create knitwear and accessories using locally obtained organic materials. I started Totoknits so that I could work around my children. When I became a mother, I wanted to create an environment that allowed mothers to put family first while having the opportunity to earn money.

2) What was the inspiration behind your company?

I was working at a school for children with special needs. They asked me to teach an Arts and Crafts class so I agreed as long as I could have back-up. They brought in Mary Wambui, a single mother of three boys, to help me. We hit it off immediately and became friends.

I developed great respect for her talent as a craftswoman — she can knit, bead, weave, sew and crochet beautifully. I was most impressed with her patience and resilience with the disabled children and her determination to make ends meet.

She struck a chord with me because my mother was widowed when I was a child and worked hard to provide for my brother and I.

Work/family balance is hardest for women. Add to that the difficult economic environment in Kenya, and it is an uphill task for most women — if they want to be employed it means sacrificing childcare and making sure work comes first lest they lose their jobs.

3) Where do you sell your products?

I worked in the fashion industry in New York before coming to Kenya so I had an idea about what people like. My products have been sold in China, UK and the US. I’m also targeting the Japanese market.

Worldwide, people are now more aware of the provenance of the products they buy. Sweatshops and caustic materials are out; instead, ethical labour and organic materials are gaining ground in becoming some of the first things people think about now when they are shopping.

I design the Totoknits line which features safari animal shaped hooded cardigans and other animal themed products. That was borne of necessity — the tourist trade wants everything to have a safari look.

4) How do you select your workforce?

I bring the work to the women so they don’t have to spend time and money on transport. We have a workshop in Dagoretti and I allow the women to come with their children and friends who want to learn. Mary manages the women and also teaches people who do the craft.

Somethimes we have very large projects — we’ve got a huge order for Max Mara and once word spread I had six different groups working around Nairobi. Even men joined in and we had a blind albino who was one of our best crocheters!

7) From where do you source your materials?

This has been a headache and it took three years to get the exact organic cotton yarn I wanted — soft and beautiful.

I started by using candle-wick as the closest thing to cotton yarn I could find in East Africa. (I have to use local materials to remain eligible for AGOA- an export promotion programme from the US).

I have continued to put every cent back into the business so that eventually I was able to buy a tonne of my dream yarn. Sadly, earlier this year the factory that makes my yarn shut down due to the high cost of electricity. I stopped marketing my products for three months and spent most of my time trying to figure out how to get my yarn made.

It is a three step process:- getting it ginned and spun in Uganda, bringing it to Nairobi and finally having it twisted here. I have been very fortunate to have the support of the owner of the factory who agreed to open his machine here in Nairobi just to twist my yarn.

8) What are your plans for Totoknits?

We have just come out with a new line of Organic cotton gifts and home accessories. So far we are selling locally at blue Rhino, Venerable Bead, Banana Box and Kids’ Stuff. We have been feted internationally and our work has even been recognised in Time Magazine and other media publications. Soon we hope to have an online shop as well.