Why did KARL&C choose "African fabrics x Japanese technology"?

KARL&C was founded in February 2025. We source fabrics such as Ankara, produced in Nigeria, from the water village of Makoko in Lagos, and produce bags and slippers in Japanese manufacturing facilities, mainly in Tokyo. We achieve the highest quality finish, with a focus on stitching and fine detailing.

Why did you choose Japanese products over African products?

Many people may think, "If we're promoting support for impoverished regions, wouldn't it be better to manufacture in Africa as well?" In fact, I thought the same thing at first, because manufacturing locally would create more jobs.

However, the reality was different from what we had imagined. It was much more difficult than we had imagined to find African-made products of a quality (such as sewing techniques and durability) that Japanese consumers could accept. Of course, there were great products made by other companies, but it was rare to find one that met the quality standards we were aiming for.

The practical obstacles faced by small companies

To achieve satisfactory quality for our own products, we would need to stay in the country for an extended period of time and invest a considerable amount of time and money in providing technical training and developing infrastructure. As a small company, this was not a realistic option for us.

However, the desire to somehow support impoverished areas remained unchanged, and this led to the current business model.

The solution: "Raw materials procurement x technical partnership"

The method we chose was to source the raw materials (African fabric) from impoverished areas and outsource manufacturing to a Japanese company with the world's most advanced technology.

This system has clear goals. First, to have our high-quality products accepted by the Japanese market. Second, to have those who purchase our products learn about the existence of the impoverished region known as "Makoko." We felt that this would be the first step toward sustainable support.

The balance between ideals and reality

Ideally, it would be best if we could produce locally in Africa at the same quality level as our partner companies, but at this stage, we believe that this approach of combining African materials and Japanese technology is the optimal solution for supporting impoverished regions without compromising on quality.

As a result, KARL&C has become a brand that can confidently offer its products, and has established an opportunity and path to truly contribute to society.

Representative Kaoru Tsuji