“In life, three basic needs are fundamental: food, shelter, and clothing,” said Eva Iringo as she presented the DUT clothing MSME of Dress to impress. She said the Food Industry, Real Estate Industry, and Clothing Industry form the backbone of human survival and development. She added, “Clothing stands out as a universal necessity. We are wearing clothes.”
She said that the DUT MSME is part of recognizing the essential role of clothing. She added, "We are dedicated to producing high-quality clothing that meet the diverse needs of our community. Our mission is to connect with designers, suppliers, investors, and future employees to build a thriving clothing business that makes a positive impact."
Brief History
DUT Clothing traces its roots to a time of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this challenging period, Eva in collaboration with Ndara B Community and Diaspora Kenyans produced over 7,000 masks in two weeks. "19 tailors who came with machines sew the masks," said Eva as she recalled this time. She added, "This effort demonstrated our capacity to produce essential clothing items and inspired the vision to expand into a full-scale clothing enterprise."
DUT Clothing MSME Setup
Today the DUT Clothing MSME is progressing to be established on 1.8 acres of land that covers a ground area of 0.8 acres with the other 1 acre applied for parking, roads and environment.
Investors
Speaking on investors who shall provide the capital to kick off Eva said, "Our first investor is the Diaspora University Trust that has been instrumental in supporting this vision."
She added, "The Trust through the Trustees have committed not only to invest but also to collaborate closely with the MSME so as to achieve a production goal of 300,000 units of clothing tailored and sold in Diaspora University Town and in the global market." Eva stated that the MSME will be incorporating other investors to achieve this company that could produce clothing products with revenue of over Ksh 1 billion.
Supplier Partnerships
“We are looking to establish relationships with suppliers of essential materials and equipment. These include clothing factory equipment, rolls of materials, threads, yarns, and more. We invite potential partners to join us in this endeavor by investing in advanced equipment such as advanced sewing machines, overlock machines, embroidery machines, fabric inspection machines, cutting machines, and other essential tools," said Eva Iringo.
Opportunities for Employment
Talking on the jobs Eva said that DUT Clothing MSME will create a wide range of job opportunities within the clothing industry. "We will have jobs for pattern makers, tailors, designers, embroiderers, and many other professionals. She said, "Together, we will bring high-quality clothing to market, fostering creativity, innovation, and economic growth."
Sales Market
"Our clothing will primarily serve the Diaspora University Town community," Eva Iringo said, "This includes Daktari Biotechnology, DUT Credit, Diaspora University Students, DUT Primary and High schools, Diaspora University Medical Hospital, DUT 300 MSMEs and 25,000 residents through DUT retail outlets.”
She added that the company will target to grow and the broader Kenyan and African markets. Currently a large segment of these markets are served by the second hand clothing “Mutumba.“
Joining DUT Clothing
Eva invited Kenyans and Diaspora Kenyans to join the DUT Clothing Company that is in the brink of an exciting journey. She said, "Whether you are a designer, supplier, investor, or job seeker, there are opportunities for you to contribute to our success and grow with us."
