For a long time, the mountainous region around Arba Minch in the south of Ethiopia is known for its 2000-year-old tradition of producing the finest fabrics on authentic handlooms.
During his childhood and college days, Firew Konjo the founder of shimena noticed, that the numbers of artisans and workshops in the region decreased enormously. The reason for the decrease was the import of cheap clothing and textiles and as a result less demand and fewer jobs.
It would have been a pity to see the valuable, colorful handcrafts replaced by the cheap products the fast fashion industry is offering, so Firew Konjo took action.