ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

FLOC is a Kenyan based creative business that unites modern design, artisan culture and ethical welfare. It was founded by Australian designer Nina Howard, who worked for many years as a design and market consultant for organisations including UNESCO, Traidcraft and AUSAid.

FLOC is an antidote to industrial production, working alongside established community cooperatives to create engaging handmade mobiles that combine imagination and elegance. They are uncompromising on ethics, guaranteeing artisans 50% of gross profits from every item.

FLOC use trusted, locally-sourced natural and recycled materials, and work with two cooperatives in particular; SMOLART Self Help Group, a member of the World Fair Trade Organisation ,and the Victorious Crafts Group - an artistic solution to the ingrained problem of youth unemployment in the Kibera slum, Nairobi. Victorious transform waste materials found in their neighbourhood, such as wood and brass, bone and horn from the meat industry, and handcraft them into striking products including jewellery, bowls and cutlery. They couple waste management with environmental sustainability, human dignity, and creative achievement.