Founded by Kerim Patrick Boucher and Noura Bourahima Boucher, the Dakar-based brand turns discarded burlap and leather offcuts into durable, gallery-worthy design.
KB Upcycling is a Senegalese brand proving that waste materials can be the basis of serious design. Founded in Dakar in April 2022 by Kerim Patrick Boucher and Noura Bourahima, the studio works with materials most fashion brands discard: burlap sacks, leather offcuts, fabric scraps, and used rice bags.
The brand’s core material is burlap, known locally as toile de jute. In South Africa, the same rough, woven cloth is called hessian. It is made from jute plant fibers, which are biodegradable, require little water to grow, and are abundant in West African markets. KB Upcycling sources used burlap locally, then washes, dries, and cleans it by hand before production begins.
Their approach treats recycling as the foundation of the design process, not an add-on. The brand’s stated philosophy is: “Le recyclage éduque la mode, la mode donne du sens au recyclage” which means, “Recycling educates fashion. Fashion gives meaning to recycling.”
This guides a production model that prioritises local resources, small-batch craftsmanship, and material honesty. The burlap’s natural tan colour and open weave are left visible in the final products rather than covered up.
The result is a range of accessories, shoes, and clothing where the origin of the material is part of the design. Structural totes and architectural footwear are made from the cleaned burlap, often combined with reclaimed leather collected from local tailors. The pieces are designed to be durable, functional, and to suit different styles.
KB Upcycling describes its work as mode écoresponsable and artisanat sénégalais which is eco-responsible fashion and Senegalese craftsmanship. The brand states that it is “deeply rooted in the values of transmission,” referring to artisanal skills and responsible production methods. Because jute is biodegradable and the studio sources its primary materials as waste, the environmental impact is kept low from the outset.
The brand’s model is relevant to current zero-waste conversations in South African fashion. As local designers confront issues of textile waste and reliance on imports, KB Upcycling offers an example of regional, low-impact production that uses materials already in circulation.
The brand also states that each of their creation tells a story of transformation; from waste to creation, useful, responsible, and designed to suit all personalities and styles.”
