sustainable · minimalist · womenswear · menswear · childrenswear
Mukabwa Handmade Studio
Handmade in Kenya with love
The Story
Hillary Mukabwa grew up in Kibera beneath a sea of rusted iron roofs. To many, that rust spoke of decay: age, neglect and the hardship so often attached to Kibera’s name. Hillary saw something else. He saw weathered surfaces that hold memory, and stories that deserve a second look.
Trained in Fine Art and Design, he was drawn to weaving and began by hand-weaving bags. Today Mukabwa’s Studio, based in Kibera, designs and handweaves fabric from 100% Ugandan cotton and makes it into tote bags, apparel, kitchenware and travel packs.
His work reaches far back. Through Encoded Earth, Hillary studies ancient rock markings from places like Turkana and Rusinga Island. He redraws their geometry into patterns that live in cloth and carry Kenya’s lesser-told histories into everyday use. He is also designing the Loom of Permanence, a loom built to work alongside artisans rather than replace them.
The craft is also shared. The studio trains young mothers in Kibera to weave, turning skill into income. The aim is fewer, better pieces: stories you can wear.
Hillary is drawn to surfaces the world overlooks. The first was the rusted iron sheets of Kibera, whose deep reds and burnt browns he reads as resilience rather than rot. Then came Kenya’s rock art: geometric marks, clan symbols and cattle brands etched into stone, often in those same rust-red tones. In a design world dominated by a few familiar Kenyan narratives, he turns to these quieter histories and weaves them back into daily life.
Every piece begins with 100% cotton from Uganda. It is handwoven in Kibera and often finished with motifs hand-printed through a screen, one pass at a time. The studio works slowly and in small runs, so each fabric carries subtle variations and no two are exactly alike. Hillary’s Loom of Permanence takes this further: a loom designed for slow creation, low waste and high meaning. The goal is lasting pieces made to be worn, repaired and passed on, not more clothing.
The Founders
Mukabwa handmade is a studio that designs and create handwoven fabrics using 100% cotton from Uganda
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Pieces
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Founder
Shop & Look
The Lookbook
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Fin.
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