With support from the special initiative ‘DECENT WORK FOR A JUST TRANSITION’ (an initiative of the GERMAN FEDERAL MINISTRY FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT), The Project Justine developed the brand The Winneba Weavers. Rahm'ee Wetterich founded this project. Her mission is to empower mostly women in West Africa – Benin, Ghana and Senegal – through vocational training, job creation and the strengthening of local textile and apparel production capacities.
The brand Winneba Weavers made its debut at one of Europe’s largest textile fairs (Munich Fabric Start 2025), where it successfully captivated and impressed a critical professional audience with its contemporary interpretation of traditional weaving heritage.
In collaboration with the Department of Textiles and Fashion Education, a dedicated design and research unit was established within the University of Education, Winneba to explore the cultural and historical dimensions of weaving in Ghana. We were fortunate to find a group of highly motivated students who engaged deeply with the topic, conducting a profound “deep dive” into the history of Ghanaian weaving traditions. Their research became a journey of rediscovering identity - proving that research is a process of selfunderstanding.
As part of this evolution, the collective began experimenting with digital weaving programs, creating textile designs on the computer and translating them onto the handloom. This innovative approach not only bridges tradition and technology but also enables the archiving and reproduction of designs, ensuring that creative knowledge can be preserved and expanded for future generations.
The University of Education, Winneba proved to be the perfect partner in this mission. Due to the effects of colonization, the craft of weaving in the region had reached a certain stagnation. Through this collaboration, the collective succeeded in revitalizing and evolving the practice — developing a new, authentic design language that reflects both heritage and contemporary creativity.
From this transformation, the Winneba Weavers brand was born — a symbol of innovation grounded in cultural roots. Today, the collective’s vision extends beyond its own success: it seeks to inspire and empower the entire community to reclaim and reimagine their creative traditions.
Over a focused workshop period, a GIZ expert introduced students and weavers to the construction of a large 8-pedal handloom (different to the traditional loom) and provided initial training on its use. Within a short time, the group fully mastered the technique and independently upgraded the loom into a 12-pedal model - greatly expanding its creative and technical capacity. This innovation enabled the weaving of both traditional and contemporary patterns, merging cultural heritage with modern aesthetics. The process demonstrated remarkable ownership, adaptability and technical ingenuity - key values in sustainable skill development.
The participants were introduced to digital weave design tools and quickly taught themselves how to use them. Following the imitate innovate principle, they explored new creative possibilities – showcasing the University’s strength in fostering curious, self-driven and forwardthinking students. Progressing from simple striped patterns to complex 3D illusions and contemporary textile designs, the weavers created fabrics that reflect modern aesthetics infused with cultural heritage and storytelling.
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