The new ASOS Made In Kenya collection is providing women in the Kasigua region of the country who are in need with reusable sanitary pads made from leftover fabric from clothes in the range. 

Earlier this year, the fashion retailer announced that it would be making stronger efforts to become a more sustainable brand by developing a new training programme for designers in partnership with London College of Fashion’s Centre for Sustainable Fashion. 

Following on from that, the ASOS Foundation has collaborated with the SOKO Community Trust in Kenya to launch The Kujuwa Initiative, created with the sole purpose of supporting young women in the Kasigua region of Kenya. 

A seamstress creating sanitary pads for girls in Kenya (ASOS)

Part of The Kujuwa Initiative’s mission to support young women will involve providing them with menstrual kits, which will consist of two pairs of cotton briefs, two reusable sanitary pads made from fabric scraps that can last for up to three years and have removable liners, a bar of soap and a waterproof wash bag. 

Giving young women sanitary pads that they can wash and reuse will have a huge impact on their education, ASOS explains in a statement. 

900 girls from six schools in Kenya will receive the special KIT (Keep It Together) bags, which will in turn allow them to go to school on a more regular basis and avoid having to miss class due to their periods. 

The kits will also give the girls instructions on how to take care of their menstrual hygiene. 

The sanitary pads are made from scraps of fabric leftover from clothes in the ASOS Made In Kenya collection (ASOS)

ASOS has collaborated with a number of individuals to develop the vibrant clothes in the Made In Kenya range, which is the retailer’s first unisex collection. 

The clothes designed for the collection in collaboration with Beats 1 presenter Julie Adenuga are being released this week.  ASOS has also previously worked with Victoria’s Secret model Leomie Anderson and 2ManySiblings bloggers, Velma Rossa and Oliver Asike, on the Made In Kenya collection, with clothes ranging from a UK size six to 16. 

The clothes are designed by the ASOS team in London, before being made by a clothing manufacturer in Rukinga, Kenya. 

Earlier this month Adenuga tweeted her excitement over the launch of her collection, writing: “My @ASOS x Made in Kenya collection is dropping very very VERY soon.  I’m very excited.” 

ASOS Made In Kenya High Neck Maxi Dress In Mixed Print, £58 (ASOS)

The ASOS Made In Kenya collection isn’t a new concept, having previously been launched in 2009 under the name ASOS Africa. 

The collection has given 50 people in Kenya the opportunity to forge full-time careers in fashion, as the clothes in the collection are made by locals in an eco factory built from compressed earth.