Founded by Ghanaian-American sisters Evonne and Erika, AFROTHREADS LLC is an African textile design studio creating fashion and decor from authentic African fabrics. Operating in Accra, Ghana, and Baltimore, Maryland, the studio sources directly from African artisans and brands after discovering that many prints sold in Ghana were made elsewhere. Its online store launched in 2019, alongside education about textile history and a focus on preserving cultural techniques through handmade, limited collections.
Saphire EssentialsSaphire Essentials brings Nigerian craft to modern wardrobes and daily routines through handmade African fashion, body care, and other essentials. Its boubou dresses and popular African net sponges are ethically sourced from Nigeria, while the Maryland-based brand supports local artisans, sustainable job opportunities, and lower-waste packaging. Saphire Essentials is a Black-owned, woman-owned business built around celebrating African culture with purpose.TOWSON, MD
Chapas Textiles, IncFrom its Brooklyn studio, Chapas Textiles creates bespoke hand-woven fabrics for the interiors trade, tailoring each pattern, color and yardage to a specific project. Founded by hand weaver Tara Chapas in 2008, the studio draws on a family weaving tradition from Evoia, Greece, while its fabrics are made in the United States by trained American artisans. Its project-by-project collaboration connects interior designers directly with textile artisans, and a portion of profits supports small-business loans for artisans around the world.BROOKLYN, NY
Gretchen Bellinger IncFounded on Gretchen Bellinger’s landmark 1976 collection, Gretchen Bellinger Inc. creates distinctive woven fabrics for interiors, from classic weaves to highly detailed embroidered designs. Based in Albany, New York, the company’s nearly five decades of textile design include fabrics held in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Montreal Museum of Decorative Arts.ALBANY, NY
Gunny + GalloonNew Orleans-based Gunny + Galloon is a textile design studio that hand-makes custom treatments to alter, embellish and adorn fabric. Its experimental, hands-on practice draws on textile history and craft traditions, with work ranging from custom screen-printed surfaces to natural dyeing and marbling. The studio has created pieces for fashion designers including Jason Wu, Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung and Bibhu Mohapatra.BROOKLYN, NY