Beyond the Product: How Ankole Turns Waste Into Worth

by Emma Richardson July 23, 2025

At Ankole, every piece we create carries a deeper purpose. More than just beautiful homeware, our products are rooted in sustainability, community, and natural materials. From Ankole cow horn to banana fibre, cotton, and even our packaging, nothing is wasted. Everything is reimagined.

Ankole Cow Horn: From Discarded to Desired

Our journey began with the Ankole cow, a breed native to Uganda. Traditionally, their horns were discarded or burned as waste. We saw something different. With the help of local artisans, we began transforming this byproduct into elegant homewares, each piece unique in colour and pattern. By doing so, we reduce environmental waste while creating jobs within the community.

Banana Fibre & Cotton: Crafted by Women, Inspired by Nature

Sustainability continues through our use of banana fibre and handwoven cotton, two natural, renewable materials that form the foundation of our packaging. We collaborate with women’s groups in Kampala who process these materials by hand. Banana fibre, extracted from the trunk of the banana plant, is strong, biodegradable, and abundant. The banana fibre is combined with water and recycled paper to form a sheet similar to cardboard, this is then used to make our gift boxes which many of our products come in.

Additionally, locally grown cotton is spun into fabric using traditional techniques by a women’s cooperative based in Kampala. This cotton is then crafted into bags for our horn sets and salad bowls by a local seamstress, Barbara. Barbara runs her own business also making clothing which she sells at markets. To complete our bags, Barbara partners with a nearby embroidery company to finish each bag with our logo. In doing so, Barbara helps us support an extended network of Ugandan businesses, ensuring that every stage of our product’s journey sustains more than just the environment, we empower women, continue the use of traditional skills and support rural livelihoods.

Recycled Packaging: Second Life for Motorbike Boxes

Even our freight boxes used to transport goods from Uganda to the UK tell a story. In place of new materials, we repurpose imported motorbike boxes, sturdy, plentiful and otherwise destined for waste. By reusing these boxes for freight, we cut down on packaging waste and give materials already in circulation a second life. It's just one more way we keep sustainability at the core of everything we do.

Crafting Futures: How Handblown Glass Empowers Young Artisans

In our Stamford store, you’ll also find a striking collection of handblown glassware, made in the very same area where our banana fibre packaging is crafted. This unique initiative was started by a Kenyan artisan who moved to Kampala to teach young Ugandan boys the traditional art of glassblowing. Today, they produce beautiful glasses and jugs, each one completely handmade and entirely unique. By stocking this glassware, we continue our commitment to supporting skilled craftsmanship and creating meaningful opportunities within the region.

A Design Philosophy That Goes Deeper

What we make is only part of who we are. Ankole is about creating a cycle of care—from resource to artisan to your home. We believe that beauty and responsibility can go hand in hand. That every byproduct holds potential. That community matters.

This is design with purpose.