“We Need Gov’t To Industrialize The Sector”

How did you start creating wearable art from leaves? The journey began when I designed a unique cultural outfit out of leaves for my elder brother to wear in a parish contest, aiming to stand out from the typical natural traditional attire. While we initially experimented with fresh mango and soursop leaves, our clients soon expressed a desire for matching traditional accessories rather than blending the look with modern gold jewelry. Listening to their feedback pushed us to start making lightweight, eco-friendly earrings and necklaces out of dried plantain leaves. What is the process for transforming agricultural waste into jewelry? We practice value-added upcycling by sourcing discarded plantain leaves from farmers in Bomaka, Buea. Normally, farmers trim these leaves to keep their fields clean, which often leads to burning the waste and creating severe bushfire risks during the dry season. We rescue this waste and take it through a meticulous, multi-week process. We start by gathering, sorting, and selecting leaves based on their natural elasticity and color patterns. Depending on the weather, we either sun-dry the leaves in cool places or use a traditional raised platform called a “mbanda” to smoke-dry them during the rainy season to prevent mold. Finally, the leaves are thoroughly sanitized, hand-painted in collaboration with local artists, and sealed with varnish before being packaged into unique wearable art. How has the market reacted to plantain leaf jewelry, and what challenges do you face? Public response ranges from initial...