In Europe this summer, raffia bags spread with their earthy colors and designs woven with wicker or crochet, and were carried on the shoulders of fashion lovers on the shores of the Mediterranean and in the streets of London and Paris.
The popularity of these bags began thanks to fashion icons in the 1960s, such as Brigitte Bardot and Jacqueline Kennedy. After being a holiday accessory, it has become one of the essential pieces in the collections of luxury fashion houses, such as Prada, Saint Laurent, and Loewe, some of which sell for prices reaching thousands of dollars.
But few customers are aware of the source of these natural fibers. Madagascar supplies 80% of the global demand for raffia, according to the country's Economic Development Board, although its historical connection to this material is still not widely known.
Also in Madagascar, raffia is part of the cultural identity, according to designer Domi Sanji, who links it to the concept of “fihavanana”, based on kinship, solidarity and mutual respect, and enshrined in the country’s constitution.
“Raffia is the root of our identity, so it is very present in our daily lives,” Sanji, who lives in the capital, Antananarivo, told CNN.
She added: "It expresses how society is built and lived, just like fibers that are intertwined together. It embodies the spirit of the Malagasy people and their desire for togetherness and interconnectedness."
Raffia fibers are extracted from the fronds of the palm of the same name, which grows in Madagascar and regions of tropical Africa and Central and South America. The fronds, which can reach a length of up to 20 meters, are trimmed, then their lower layers are removed and their green slices are dried in the sun, so they acquire their distinctive sandy and beige colors.
These fibers are manually transformed into bags, hats, and decorative pieces, in a process that requires skill and a long time. It can take days and tens of thousands of stitches to make a single hat.
But growing global demand has raised concerns about the exploitation of artisans and the depletion of natural resources. About 75% of Madagascar's population lives below the poverty line, according to the United Nations, which increases their exposure to exploitation and contributes to over-harvesting of raffia, poor working conditions and a lack of transparency in the supply chain, according to social entrepreneur Aileen Akbarali, who grew up in the country.
A report published in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation in 2023 concluded that the concentration of harvesting on the eastern coast of Madagascar coincided with the loss of 4.85 million hectares of tree cover since 2000.
“Everyone is taking advantage of these resources,” Akbarali told CNN. “It's absolutely horrific.”
Supply chain tracking
To address these issues, in 2019, Akbarali founded the fashion label and social enterprise Made For A Woman in Antananarivo, with the aim of empowering artisans and creating a sustainable and transparent supply chain that enables traceability of the source of raffia.
Women make up more than 90% of the company's employees, numbering about a thousand people, and most of them belong to vulnerable groups, including survivors of domestic violence and sex workers.
The company received B Corp certification in recognition of its commitment to high social and environmental standards. It also trains artisans to make custom-made products, and provides them with health care, education, social services, and child care, in addition to fair wages.
“My mission is to provide opportunities for others and help them realize how special they are,” Akbarali said.
She added that what makes her feel most accomplished is that her workers realize their talents and abilities and feel empowered.
When the company launched, there was no mechanism to trace the source of raffia, but Akbarali, after a long search, found what she believes is the only supplier with a certificate of social responsibility: Kalfane Fils in the northern city of Mahanganga.
Made For A Woman's activities, including its supply chain, are independently audited according to World Fair Trade standards. Akbarali hopes her model will become a role model in the sector.
She pointed out, "It is very important to know the source of the materials we use, because they become part of our identity. They reflect everything we do, and I do not understand how anyone can work with materials without knowing their source."
The company carries this principle to its customers as well, as its handcrafted products, from recycled raffia bags to dresses that take months to weave, carry a quick response (QR) code that allows buyers to identify the artisans, fiber pickers and the natural environments that helped make them.
This constitutes an application of what is known as the “Digital Product Passport” (DPP), which Akbarali believes may reshape consumers’ relationship with fashion brands, bringing them closer to workers at various stages of production.
She pointed out, "There is a lot of beauty in the supply chain. When you provide real and honest stories to consumers, they will care more, and they will also begin to look at themselves in a different way."
Redefining luxury
Akbarali seeks to redefine the concept of luxury, even through its cooperation with international fashion houses. Her company has partnered with the French Chloe and the Italian Fendi, in addition to the Italian luxury fashion store Modes.
She does not see these partnerships as a compromise on her principles, but rather as an opportunity to expose the false image surrounding luxury brands’ products.
“Buyers fall in love with the illusion of what they can become and the world they might belong to,” she asked. “But it is just an illusion, not reality. How can that be described as luxury?”
She added: “The true value of luxury products comes from the land, human hands and materials used, and from treating people and the planet right... and building a better world for us and for the following generations. This is the concept of luxury to me.”
Sanji, who specializes in reviving heritage, agrees with this opinion, considering that luxury lies in the “spirit of the craftsman,” not in Paris or Milan, and that the global demand for raffia gives Madagascar an opportunity to be at the heart of the luxury fashion industry.
Although the country is famous for its biological diversity, as about 92% of the species of plants, mammals and reptiles found on its land are not available anywhere else in the world, in addition to its name being linked to the 2005 animated comedy film “Madagascar”, Madagascar is rarely associated with elegance and fashion.
But Sanji believes that empowering artisans and highlighting the stories behind the products can help change this image.
“We have a lot to tell the world,” she concluded. “Raffia represents a new beginning in how we can highlight Madagascar, as more than just a country of raw materials, but also a country that produces luxury.”
