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When Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah started Studio One Eighty Nine in 2013, they hoped to use fashion to change the lives of people in Africa.
Instead, the social enterprise founded by the actress and her friend has become a "powerful social enterprise that promotes African culture and craftsmanship while fostering empowerment, training, and job creation in African communities through their dedication to fashion consciousness," per a press release.
Studio 189, based in Accra, Ghana, produces high-quality, handcrafted products using traditional African techniques such as hand-batik, kente weaving, and indigo dyeing, and works directly with artisans in Ghana and other parts of Africa, " thereby supporting and improving the living standards of local African artisans," per the release.
Dawson and Erwiah also work with the UN's ITC Ethical Fashion Initiative to provide training and market access to artisans, as well as educate and train them in areas such as production and business management.
Profits from sales go into educational initiatives in Ghana.
Studio 189 has also been recognized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America and the Lexus Fashion Initiative for Sustainability, and its products have been featured on international runways.
"By empowering artisans, promoting sustainable practices, and fostering economic development, Studio 189 not only showcases the beauty of African craftsmanship but also
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