London-based fashion entrepreneur and business coach, Jacqueline Shaw has launched an African artisan sourced fabric sewing service subscription box.
After facing multiple redundancies and job losses, Jacqueline Shaw, a Fashion Design industry professional, used the opportunity of covid-19 lockdowns to kickstart a new initiative. She is combining sewing crafts, with African sourced and handmade fabrics with an impact story – offering monthly projects, sew-a-long videos, and even online group support for members.
Jacqueline herself was interested in other subscriptions and joined many digital ones, but never saw anything that brought together her fashion background, her love for Africa (and its vast array of fabrics), her support for sustainability from her MA Ethical Fashion degree, as well as her sewing craft skill.
So, failing to find a sewing subscription that also had an impact with every box, she decided to create her own, using her network in Africa.
Along with sourcing Africa’s popular, colorful prints directly from African wax print houses, Jacqueline focused predominantly on sourcing textiles from African artisans who had been challenged by the impact of lockdown, and who had skills in handprinted or handwoven fabrics.
She recognized that subscribers appreciated receiving insights and education inside their box along with the actual sewing projects. She realized that they loved original unique fabrics, and recognized they can purchase standard fabrics anywhere and so desired something else with a twist. This is what Wax and Wraps offer.
Wax and Wraps African fabrics are handmade by artisans across Africa or sourced directly from print houses across Africa. They are not available in general fabric shops. These fabrics range from hand-printed, to handwoven, to hand-knitted and are all done in a new African country each month.
Each month’s box comes with an African Fabric Swatch Card that shares information on unique fabrics made in Africa and who made them.
The subscribers of Wax + Wraps want to know that by purchasing a box that there is a positive environmental impact and positive ethical story to their purchase.
All Wax+Wraps boxes use recycled and recyclable materials. There is no extra unnecessary promotional materials in the boxes to prevent waste and the boxes are created as collectibles to keep.
Present subscribers and customers are based throughout Europe, the USA, Canada even Russia and UAE. They have said receiving their subscription “is like Christmas in a box every month”
They have fun with a regular #SewWithWaxprintChallenge competition and will be launching a monthly sew-along get-together online.
Now celebrating one year in business and after a year of boxes, Jacqueline is also seeking to take the boxes to the corporate level by offering a corporate gifting option to fashion companies and others with a taste and appreciation for crafts and social impact projects.
New subscribers who want to try out the boxes can get a 14 days Trial box to see what it will be like. Otherwise, subscribers can jump in and save 20% off the price of a box with a 12-month commitment plan.
Email: hello@waxandwraps.com
Website: www.waxandwraps.com
Instagram: @waxandwraps
Tiktok: waxandwraps
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