AAKS
Handwoven raffia bags from Ghana — bold color, traditional technique, global recognition.
- Category
- Bags
- Based
- Kumasi, Ghana
- Price
- $150–$450
- Shipping
- Free worldwide delivery
- Shop
- aaksonline.com
The story
Born from childhood memories of Ghanaian basket bags, reimagined softer, foldable, and in contemporary color. Four months after launch Anthropologie picked up the first collection; since then AAKS has been shortlisted by Vogue Italia and stocked in sixty-plus stores including the MoMA Design Store, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and John Lewis.
Founder & origin
Founded in 2014 by Akosua Afriyie-Kumi, who grew up in Kumasi before studying art, design, and womenswear in the UK.
Craft & materials
Every bag is handwoven in Northern Ghana by a cooperative of around fifty weavers using ecologically harvested raffia from local family farms. Fully manual: fibers twisted by hand, natural dye baths (sometimes tree bark), dried, then woven strand by strand.
Conscious notes
The mission from day one was to preserve a Ghanaian weaving tradition losing ground and create sustainable income for the women who practice it. AAKS has pushed back against retailers wanting faster turnaround, insisting on the true five-month hand-weaving timeline.