The Heart of Kumbaya is the Producer

Kumbaya is an ethical business, an intricate web of interlinked activities driven by commitment to its producers. Every product we design, every exhibition we attend, every sale we make, every document we prepare is with awareness of what the final impact could be on the producer. For instance, our production planning team continuously ensures that fabric is sourced and cut on time so that producers have enough pieces to stitch every day of the year. Our design and sampling team constantly creates a range of new and innovative products not only to keep pace with the market but more to assure work to each and every producer – customized to their different skills and specific needs. Supervisors at the sewing centers guide and encourage producers at each stage of production so that they remain motivated to improve their output and deliver high quality. The quality check team has to be aware that theirs is a role of high responsibility. Even a single piece gone wrong could lead to the cancellation of an entire order and ruin our reputation as a brand. Similarly, the client interaction and marketing team has to know that every negotiation, email, conversation with a demanding client or a single well taken catalogue photograph could mean a sale, a large order, an opportunity that means wages for our producers. One person in charge of any activity is inextricably linked to the entire cycle of design, sampling, production, marketing and sales, with the unequivocal imperative of being accountable to the well being of the producer.