What are the Ndara products made from?

At Ndara we  aim to use as much locally sourced material as possible, however the Central African Republic is located in the center of Africa, far from shipping lines and coastal ports.  Roads connecting the Central African Republic to trade hubs in other countries are pour, and insecure due to the war.  These realities mean that production supplies are always limited and expensive, and that the benefits to using locally sourced and recycled materials are significant. 

Our products are made with many reused materials such as second hand fabrics, plastic bags and bottle capsules.  When possible eco-friendly dyes and raw materials are also used. Other materials, such as foam and leather, are locally produced. Ndara’s goal is to create minimal waste and any scraps of fabric are always repurposed and reused, either in the production of another item or as stuffing inside our throw pillows or floor pouffs. 

How are the Ndara products made?
All Ndara products are handmade by Central African artisans.
Some products are sewn by hand, others are sewn using a hand or foot pedal sewing machine. Our rugs and baskets are crocheted by hand. All cutting of fabric is done by hand using regular scissors. 

Where does the name Ndara come from?
The name Ndara (pronounced en-dara) means to be skilled, or to have wisdom, in the national language Sango. Someone who has Ndara is someone who is skilled, or wise. We chose to name our company Ndara to serve as a constant reminder to the team and the world: Central Africans are skilled, they are wise, and they have #anotherstory to tell. 

What are Ndara's values?
Ndara believes that self-reliance and independence is the most important factor of change in a community, and we design production projects that will target the largest number of Central African’s as possible. We believe in sustainability and growing slowly, and finding the right people. The right people to produce, and the right people to buy. Together, we believe that we will tell another story of the Central African Republic. A story where skills, determination and perseverance is key. 

What makes Ndara different from other artisanal brands from Africa?
Ndara is the only company that offers handmade products from the Central African Republic! Our range of products is unique and practical, Some of our products are particularly unique, like our stuffed and multi-coloured pangolin, other products such as our baskets, combine unique color and fabric patters with useful and practical construction. 

The origin of Ndara products, the story of the Central African Republic  and the value that is Ndara is always unique and one of a kind. There are no other products coming out from the Central African Republic and we are trying to change that story. A product such as the Pangolin is a unique and specific product, where products such as the baskets are more common but unique because of the story and the origin. 

I’m a retailer- how can I contact you?

Send an email to info@ndaratibeafrika.com. We would love to hear from you!

What countries do you ship to? 
We do our best to ship to anywhere a customer wants us to. Tell us where you want to receive your Ndara order and we will look into making that a possibility. We will communicate all the logistical constraints and costs to you before we ship. Ndara is not responsible for any additional customs charges that might apply. If you have any questions just send an email to info@ndaratibeafrika.com

What is your return policy?
If a product is damaged please email within 14 days of receiving your Ndara product at info@ndaratibeafrika.com to discuss refunds, store credit or return options.