Profile
Safaribead is an established ethical business trading in quality hand made beaded products. The business was started in order to embrace the skills of the local people in Kenya to produce a quality beaded product suitable for export. The business concept has been developed to ensure that the group of women doing the beadwork receive a fair income in a sustainable enterprise.

Safaribead comprises a large number of women from the Maasai community in Kenya, and focuses on providing employment opportunities for these women, many of who are illiterate and would not otherwise have a means of livelihood.

Safaribead has training workshops on a regular basis to empower the team to learn further skills as well as gaining more of an understanding of the demands of the export market, product design and color combinations.

Lisa Barratt, inspired ethical designer, used to visit the Masai women in their Manyatta and sit for days with them showing them different designs and different combinations of colors. The Masai women learn the skills of beading from a very young age, and Safaribead embraces these skills to produce a product that is of export quality.

The Masai use very colorful bead combinations, which are demonstrated in several ranges of the products. Safaribead combines the colors of Africa, balanced with the designs and colors that are appealing to the countries that Safaribead currently exports to; UK, Hong Kong, South Africa, Caribbean and USA.

Safaribead also has skilled in-house local designers, Alfonse and Moses who Lisa works closely with and they assist her in product development, and she in turn lends her expertise to their skill advancement in design. Safaribead also welcomes any designers from abroad. As each product is handmade, they can develop products specific to requests.

The Safaribead team receives a fair wage, as well as access to loans and medical assistance when required.

Safaribead demonstrates diversity in product range though the use of a wide range of different beads from the region and beyond. The beads used come in many shapes and forms, using recycled glass beads, brass ornamental beads that are produced locally, recycled magazine beads and also use of Czechoslovakian Glass beads.

The materials used comprise of sisal, jute, natural raffia and recycled rubber inner tube and recycled tyres. Leather is used which is of export quality and where possible chemical free tanning processes. Natural fabrics like hesian and cotton are also used. Safaribead aims to further explore the use of a variety of beads and materials to create unique and where possible, ensure that the products all have an eco and organic element in their design and materials used.

To continue as a profitable, sustainable enterprise ensuring environmental awareness is inherent in material sourcing, production and processes is what Safaribead Practices.