Ignite Culture: Meet Saba Studios

More than a year after the launch of the Ignite Culture Fund, which supports cultural and creative industries in East Africa, a first cohort of winners has launched a series of innovative projects with the help of their grants. Let’s meet them!

Saba Studios is a Kenyan-based design studio and manufacturer of indoor and outdoor furniture, drawing on the rich history of Swahili furniture and culture. They produce quality, affordable furniture that values the rich design language of Lamu while incorporating emerging and current technologies.

With the grant funds, Saba Studios is looking to increase the quality and standard of their production. As a first step, they plan to train staff in new woodworking technologies, establishing mobile/satellite design labs and innovation workshops. The acquisition of instruments such as a wood drying kiln and a CNC router will allow them to manage both the production and the quality of the raw materials needed to manufacture their products and to reduce waste respectively. The automation of the production process will increase precision and reduce human error. Finally, the project also includes workshops on sustainable procurement and resource management.

Stay tuned to find out more soon.

© Photo credit: Saba Studios