Story

Matilda Lartey is an artisan, fashion designer, and community activist, who founded the Matilda Flow Inclusion (MFI) Foundation in 2016 to create inclusive work and training for artisans living in or near her community in Fise Amasaman, Greater Accra, Ghana. Like many artisans, Matilda has seen her livelihood affected by the rise of the global fast fashion industry and by the secondhand clothing trade from Europe, United States, and Canada, which sends millions of pounds of used textiles to Ghana each year.

As the parent of a daughter with a disability, Matilda also brought her lived experiences around the barriers that women with children with disabilities and women with disabilities often encounter in finding employment and earning a living wage to her work. She sought to create an upcycling studio that would serve as a creative hub in her community, providing flexible positions for artisans, paid training, and community programs grounded in values of inclusion, environmental sustainability, and creativity.

With expertise in fashion and accessory design, Matilda has produced orders for local and global clients. She believes the global community has a responsibility to fairly compensate artisans and designers like herself who upcycle and play a critical role within the circular economy.

Matilda specializes in sustainable and upcycled fashion design and is eager to pursue collaboration with other brands and designers who have a strong commitment to social and environmental responsibility.