Access to Market

As successive classes of women graduated from the EWARE program many faced significant barriers to making a living on their newly acquired skill.  Many could not afford the basic inputs for production while those who managed to produce faced difficulties selling their products. The Foundation's Access-to-Market (ATM) Program provides a platform for collective production, marketing and sales of Adara Designs, the trademark name for designs and prints by Adara women.  Through ATM, the Foundation sources inputs that can affect the volume and consistency of production, and carries out quality control measures to ensure product quality and penetration. We generate demand for Adara Designs and significantly increase post graduation production activities of EWARE graduates. ATM has provided a consistent and resilient livelihood source for Adara women. Our ATM program also  works to establish Adara Designs as a stand-alone brand for the promotion of the Foundation's work to amplify African arts and culture through the production of traditional textiles. We are committed to be the go-to place for colourful and quality adire prints while also broadening and deepening livelihood opportunities for disadvantaged women.

Designer Collaborations

Adara Foundation works to identify sustainable and viable markets for the textile designs of graduates of its EWARE programme.  Our aim is to work with leading fashion brands to promote sustainable fashion that creates work and improves the livelihood of low-income women and their families. The Foundation has made diligent effort to grow the Adara brand in the traditional textile design market and made some major gains with its Adara prints being used by some of the biggest names in the Nigerian fashion industry, including Funke Adepoju (Phunk Afrique), Ejiro Tafiri (Ejiro Tafiri Amos), The LadyMaker, Cynthia Abila, Alara and Orange Culture. The Foundation also partnered with Tiffany Amber Nigeria, through its Adara X Tan by Tiffany Amber collection. Adara designs (mostly custom designs) featured on the runway at the 2019 Lagos Fashion week, made up the “Obirin '' collection by Funke Adepoju and formed part of the SS20 LadyMaker Collection. The Foundation also participated in the following exhibitions and events: The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce Exhibition, the Heineken-Lagos Fashion Week event and  the Adire Lagos Exhibition, hosted by Ecobank. Internationally, Adara Designs has featured in the African Fashion Series Exhibition in London, the Portuguese Fashion Week through a collaboration with Odio Mimonet as well as a feature in the British Vogue magazine.