ATUNDA turns textile waste into furniture, décor

Photo: Mabayomije Akinyemi-Ekong

A new art and design studio, ATUNDA, has begun transforming discarded textile materials into furniture, lighting, home décor and sculptural objects.

Founded by creative professional, Mabayomije Akinyemi-Ekong, the studio was inspired by a pile of tiny fabric pieces she encountered on a road in Yaba, Lagos.

According to Akinyemi-Ekong, the sight prompted her to consider whether the discarded materials could be given a new lease of life rather than being treated as waste.

That idea birthed ATUNDA, which sees discarded fabrics as raw creative materials with their own colours, textures and character.

The studio’s first body of work, The Yaba Collection, is made from textile materials recovered from Yaba Textile Market. The collection features functional statement art designed for contemporary homes, offices and public spaces.

Its first completed work, AKOBI, is a chair and the studio’s first experiment with using recovered textile materials as upholstery.

She said, “AKOBI was where the idea became real. 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.”

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ATUNDA’s work combines design, art and circularity, with each piece created to be functional while retaining the character and imperfections of the recovered materials.

The studio’s initiative also comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s growing textile waste problem, with textile offcuts from markets, tailoring businesses and fashion production often discarded, burnt or left in public spaces.

However, Akinyemi-Ekong said ATUNDA sees the challenge as an opportunity to change how people perceive discarded materials.

“We are not interested in simply making things from waste. 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,” she said.

Beyond its collections, ATUNDA plans to organise creative workshops where participants can make small furniture pieces from recovered textiles. The studio also plans to collaborate with local artisans.

It further intends to explore partnerships aimed at extending its circular model into social impact, including developing textile-based solutions for underserved communities.

The studio said its long-term ambition is to build a Nigerian design practice that demonstrates the creative and economic value of materials often regarded as worthless.