Artisan Advisory Group
Ethics at the Heart of Trade
Who We Are
We are a group of global artisan advocates and business experts dedicated to integrating ethically-responsible frameworks into procurement strategies. As licensing agents and artisan advocates, we provide technical expertise and services for small brands and artisan cooperatives to protect their work on the global market. Our niche is home furnishings inspired by traditional cultural expression.
Why We Care
African-made and African-inspired goods are some of the most sought after in the home furnishings space. Many of these goods carry a documented cultural significance. But with large-scale manufacturers located outside of Africa, employment opportunities and economic gains for the communities that originally conceived of these items are threatened, if not lost entirely. These products are designed with Africa in mind, but undermine the positive social impact that this area of product design and trade could create.
Our Mission
Our mission is to advance a cultural intellectual property framework that allows African communities to benefit from the commercialization of their artistic innovations and cultural heritage.
So what are the best practices for procuring and selling home furnishings that are inspired by African cultures, but not produced there? How do you design and manufacture these products so that they're both responsible and profitable? The good news is that we have developed ways to integrate ethical designing and procurement strategies into existing practices. Our experts provide informed and tailored solutions that address specific business models.
