Osei Duro

Packaging

Nearly all packing bags and shipping bags are 100% home compostable. The brand avoids petroleum-based plastics and instead uses biodegradable alternatives.

Ingredient Sustainability

About 42% of fabric used is Lenzing™ ECOVERO™ viscose (a certified eco-friendly rayon), and another 10% is deadstock linen sourced locally in Ghana. The brand also incorporates certified Fairtrade cotton (5% of inputs). Many garments are made entirely from plant-based fibers (100% Lenzing ECOVERO rayon or 100% cotton).

That said, roughly 30% of the material mix remains conventional cotton, which, while locally sourced, carries the higher water and pesticide footprint of non-organic cotton.

Energy Use and Footprint

A major initiative was shifting all fabric shipments to Ghana from air freight to sea freight in 2021, “reducing that carbon footprint by an estimated whopping 98%.” This change dramatically cuts transportation emissions for the raw materials. Additionally, beginning in 2025 the company is moving to source all of its cotton within West Africa, shortening supply lines and further minimizing the environmental impact of transport.

However, beyond shipping logistics, there is little public evidence of measures like renewable energy usage in manufacturing or facilities, carbon offset programs, or detailed tracking of greenhouse gas emissions.

Waste Management

From the outset, Osei-Duro avoids generating surplus product by keeping production runs small, usually under 100 pieces per style, so that inventory is closely aligned with actual demand. Fabric is hand-cut one garment at a time, a slower process that significantly decreases cutting waste. What little offcut textile waste is produced is rigorously sorted and then channeled into various upcycling streams.

In addition to repurposing manufacturing offcuts, Osei-Duro closes the loop with its products at end-of-life. The company runs a buyback program that encourages customers to return unwanted Osei-Duro clothes in exchange for store credit. Returned garments, along with any production defects or unsold “seconds,” are donated to the brand’s Reruns program, a biannual workshop in Vancouver that trains women in recovery to repair and resell these garments.

Business Model

Osei-Duro’s business model is fundamentally rooted in slow fashion principles and resisting the trend-driven overconsumption typical of the industry. The brand maintains a relatively small, “evergreen” catalog of styles that are updated with new hand-dyed prints rather than completely new designs each season. It consciously produces in limited quantities.

The collections are dominated by natural fibers (cotton, linen, rayon (from wood pulp), and small amounts of silk), which means the garments are free of the harmful synthetic polymers (like polyester or PVC) that can shed microplastics or contain toxic additives. The company currently relies on conventional synthetic dyes sourced locally in Ghana, which can have toxic implications if not managed, but importantly it has recognized this as a “crucial area for improvement” and is actively working on it. Additionally, Osei-Duro is developing wastewater recycling systems to treat dye effluent, aiming to prevent any chemical runoff from harming waterways.

The company directly employs a team in Accra and ensures they work under excellent conditions: “full time pay for a four-day work week”, three weeks of paid annual leave, 90 days paid maternity leave and 2 weeks paid paternity leave, comprehensive health coverage, pensions, and all legally mandated benefits. These benefits far exceed industry norms in many manufacturing countries.

Osei-Duro’s product line is overwhelmingly vegan and cruelty-free, with only minimal use of animal-derived materials. The brand does not use leather, fur, exotic skins, wool, angora, or down in its clothing.

Beyond economic impact, Osei-Duro invests in creative community projects. It runs an artist residency in Accra, inviting both local Ghanaian and international artists to collaborate and create in an open-ended way. In North America, Osei-Duro’s innovative Reruns program in Vancouver serves as a meaningful social initiative. Through Reruns, the brand provides paid training in e-commerce, mending, and resale to women recovering from addiction in the Downtown Eastside.