Designed In Bangladesh, Made in Europe Â

Sustainable footwear marque ‘ekn’ introduces the world’s archetypal sneaker made successful Europe and designed successful Bangladesh by a rising pistillate manner decorator from Dhaka.

Newly launched constricted variation vegan sneaker aims to subvert exploitation successful the planetary footwear industry.

In a measurement that subverts the presumption quo of manner design, Frankfurt-based sustainable footwear brand ekn is launching the world’s archetypal unisex footwear designed successful Bangladesh and made successful Europe.  The new ekn Kamthala is a constricted variation vegan sneaker manufactured successful Portugal and designed successful Bangladesh by a rising pistillate Bangladeshi designer, Rokaiya Ahmed Purna.

Named aft Bangladesh’s nationalist effect - the jackfruit - the ekn Kamthala makes a bold connection for the manufacture to rethink however it works with the Global South, turning the accustomed ‘designed successful the Global North, manufactured successful the Global South’ paradigm connected its head.

The conception was to ‘create a sneaker arsenic a awesome of respect’ - aiming to reverse immoderate of the unethical proviso concatenation practices, contamination and exploitation that person been synonymous with the footwear manufacture for decades – tapping into the younger generations’ appetite for meaningful change.

courtesy ekn

courtesy ekn

Bangladeshi decorator Rokaiya Ahmed Purna is committed to sex equality, liable depletion and production, promoting indigenous textiles and innovation, and empowering women and girls successful her location country.

“In Bangladesh we person a precise affluent taste contented and heritage, which I effort to instrumentality into each of my work,” she says.  My ain roots and puerility memories besides power my designs; the inspiration for the ekn Kamthala comes from the jackfruit, the nationalist effect of Bangladesh, which I person a heavy narration with.  As a kid determination was a histrion close successful beforehand of my location wherever I would play, and draw, and slumber under.  We’ve go utilized to the word ‘Made successful Bangladesh’, not ‘Designed successful Bangladesh’, but the caller procreation of Bangladeshis are starting to deliberation otherwise and enactment differently.  As portion of this generation, I consciousness fortunate to person the accidental to make change. I’m surviving the imagination of truthful galore people, truthful it’s an accidental which comes with a batch of responsibility.”

courtesy ekn

 Putting Respect First

 ekn was founded successful 2013 by Noel Klein-Reesink, aft years searching for the cleanable skate footwear and designing for New Balance and adidas. His acquisition taught him that determination was a superior request for a well-designed, thoughtful and sustainable sneaker, hence ekn’s agelong word ngo connection "Made successful Friendship" - an alternate to inhumane and environmentally degrading practices.

“The ekn Kamthala footwear is simply a connection - a motion of respect. Because successful a just satellite determination is nary privileged broadside of the arrangement. If fairness is the goal, we should stock our aspirations.” says Klein-Reesink.

Alexander Grapp, Group Creative Director astatine Accenture Song and initiator of the concept, says: “’Made In’ labels not lone brushwood implicit the unjust conditions that radical successful the Global South often enactment under – they besides reenforce harmful stereotypes astir creativity and accumulation successful the alleged ‘First’ and ‘Third World’. They presume that American and European plan is superior to that of the countries wherever brands outsource their production, which is simply not the case. All of this is what we wanted to situation with this statement. And on the mode we learned and were continually inspired by the creativity and resilience of designers from Bangladesh similar Rokaiya. We anticipation this makes radical think!  We’d similar to invitation much companies and brands to enactment successful a antithetic mode with countries similar Bangladesh and beyond - and to harness the endowment and creativity that is intelligibly waiting to beryllium much wide recognized.”

All ekn’s shoes are produced successful Portugal from sustainable materials, with the purpose of providing high-quality footwear without the societal and biology harm caused by akin manufacturers.

All profits from income of the shoes volition beryllium utilized to acceptable up an NGO to connection the originative radical of Dhaka a caller spot to work, and for a improvement programme seeking talented pistillate designers successful Bangladesh and different countries to make an ongoing bid of ekn footwear.

The constricted variation ekn Kamthala volition beryllium disposable worldwide from January 21st, 2023 astatine a retail terms of $215.00 by visiting www.eknfootwear.com/en.

courtesy ekn

Rokaiya Ahmed Purna.