About Us

Well, hello there good-looking, we are happy to see you here.

In 2020, three cousins— Waceke, Mercy and Jon were having a great time at grandma’s, eating good food, enjoying wholesome vibes and making memories. Waceke was worried about her health and her children’s health and was telling us how she struggles to find safe kitchenware for her home because plastic utensils especially and most metal kitchenware leach harmful chemicals and toxins into our food. It then dawned on us, how the resourceful nature of generations past, had allowed them to enjoy the provisions of nature for everything they required: materials, medicine, clean air, water, a stable climate and even the tools to source, prepare and consume food. Inspired by this, and obviously many moons later, we decided to launch The Arc Light.

The Arc Light is a small family-run, eco-conscious lifestyle and fashion social enterprise based in Kenya. As artisans- craft unites us; the desire to preserve culture and tradition by protecting craft skills- fuels us; and the urgent need to tackle social issues and protect the planet, inspires us into action. We are strong believers in the economic empowerment of women, that's why we were beyond excited when we came across this fun fact - the artisan industry is the second largest employer of women globally! 

Passed down from one generation to the next, making and art have been an integral part of our history, heritage and culture. And throughout history, humans have handcrafted tools and utensils and formed unique attachments to these items. At The Arc Light, we design and create vibrant, local and sustainable art, fashion and lifestyle products that promote cultural appreciation. These products are inspired, fashioned and crafted around themes that interweave African cultures, stories and elements. The Arc Light is built upon this age-old tradition- a love of sustainable style and a desire to protect, preserve and to promote these industries, and the people who work in them. Fashion Revolution's Manifesto #4 captures and communicates beautifully what we, at The Are Light believe in:

Fashion respects culture and heritage. It fosters, celebrates and rewards skills and craftsmanship. It recognizes creativity as its strongest asset. Fashion never appropriates without giving due credit or steals without permission. Fashion honors the artisan.

Our goal at The Arc Light is threefold:

-First, by envisioning the future of craftsmanship we aim to honor makers and the process of making. This is achieved by providing support and opportunities to advance and showcase creative interpretations of heritage art-forms and the progression of artistic technique through sustainable products and using materials that put you first.

-Second, driven by a need to promote cultural appreciation, and drawing inspiration from ancient art forms, we desire to make contemporary products that pay homage to cultural identities, cultural diversity and tradition. Not only will you experience the magic of our culture and the heritage of a land, but you'll also help preserve cultures at risk of erasure. 

-Finally, we believe that business should be used as a force for good. Our design and maker business isn't big, but we’ve seen how even the simplest of actions can improve quality of life. This is why we choose to use this platform, technology and data, our resources and the backing and ingenuity of our partners and members of our community to learn, understand and solve crises of societal importance through entrepreneurial initiatives. Learn more about how The Arc Light designs and implements innovative solutions to today’s most pressing issues.

We invite you to step right in and be a part of our story. We welcome you to explore our site; it is an honor to share with you the stories of the people, the culture, the craftsmanship and the heritage behind our products.

XOXO