A new Nigerian art and design studio, ATUNDA, is turning discarded textile materials into furniture, lighting, home décor and sculptural objects as it seeks to demonstrate the creative and economic value of materials often regarded as waste.
Founded by creative professional Mabayomije Akinyemi-Ekong, ATUNDA was inspired by an encounter with discarded fabric pieces while walking through Yaba. Mountains of tiny textile offcuts scattered along the road prompted Akinyemi-Ekong to consider whether the materials could be repurposed into useful and desirable products.
That idea has evolved into a design venture focused on transforming recovered textiles into functional art while promoting a more circular approach to material use.
The studio’s first body of work, The Yaba Collection, is made from textile materials recovered from Yaba Textile Market. The collection features furniture and statement art pieces designed for contemporary homes, offices and public spaces.
Its first completed artwork, AKOBI, is a chair and represents ATUNDA’s initial experiment with using recovered textile materials as upholstery.
‘AKOBI was where the idea became real,’ Akinyemi said, adding, ‘We had an idea that these discarded fabrics could become something beautiful and valuable, but we didn’t know if it would work. We experimented, and AKOBI became the first proof that it could.’
ATUNDA’s approach sits at the intersection of design, art and circularity, with each piece created to remain functional while preserving the colours, textures and imperfections of the recovered materials.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of growing concerns over textile waste in Nigeria. Fabric offcuts from markets, tailoring businesses, fashion production and other parts of the textile industry are frequently discarded, burned or left in public spaces.
For Akinyemi-Ekong, however, the challenge presents an opportunity to rethink how such materials are perceived.
‘We are not interested in simply making things from waste,’ she said. ‘We want to change the way people see these materials. The goal is to create work that people desire first, and then discover that the material has been given another life.’
Beyond its collections, ATUNDA plans to organise creative workshops where participants can learn to produce small furniture pieces from recovered textiles. The studio also intends to collaborate with local artisans and explore partnerships that could extend its circular design model into social-impact initiatives.
Akinyemi-Ekong said the long-term goal is to build a Nigerian design practice that demonstrates the creative and economic potential of materials commonly considered worthless.