Pine Kazi was founded by three Afeica Nazarene University alumni, namely Olivia Awuor, Mike Langat and Angela Musyoka.
In an interview, the trio said they set up the company with intentions of making eco-friendly shoes using pineapple waste.
To achieve this, the company works with unemployed youth who help them with collecting discarded pineapple waste from farms.
Here is their story as told by WoK.
In 2019, Olivia, Mike and Angela joined forces to establish Pine Kazi to convert previously discarded pineapple waste into a sustainable textile.
The by product of the pineapple waste can then be used to craft eco-friendly products like shoes and bags.
The idea to set up the business came after the three visited a pineapple farm in Thika, Nairobi County and noticed the huge piles of pineapple waste.
The huge pile of waste prompted the three to think abouta business idea that they could venture into to make good use of the waster.
It was then that they established Pine Kazi.
The company is also a source of livelihoods for unemployed youth who collect pineapple waste and take them to the company’s production center.
“The way we work is simple, we transform unemployed youths in the community to Pine Kazi contractors who collect the discarded pineapple waste from the farm,” Olivia said.
Once the waste is transported to the production center, it is sorted out, purified and then manufactured into a sustainable pineapple textile.
Since its establishment, the company has received awards and recognitions including the 2021 Fashionomics Africa contest winner.
Despite having made huge strides as a brand, Pine Kazi acknowledges that building a successful business is a journey full of ups and downs.
“There are a lot of challenges especially when starting out. You require a lot of discipline, practice, planning and perseverance. As an entrepreneur you need to be aggressive because in this world you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate for,” Olivia said.
Additionally, they received the Hult Prize winner at the 2023 Nairobi Summit and the 2019 Amman Prize regional winners.
In 2021, the Kenyan brand received a $2,000 cash prize and mentoring and networking opportunities from Parsons School of Design, United Nations Environment Programme and Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
They are also having access to a network of media insiders and industry experts, and the possibility to attend online events to share insights on key sustainability challenges facing the industry.
Moving forward, the company hopes to expand into an international brand that not only creates employment for the youth in Kenya but across the continent.
