Burkina Faso: Working with the Burkinabè cotton

François 1st, a renowned International fashion designer, launched a semi-industrial cotton processing unit in Burkina Faso.

The story of François 1st with cotton dates back to the 80’s when the former President of Burkina Faso, Thomas Sankara, was presenting the outfit he and his delegation were wearing at an African Union meeting in Addis Ababa. The outfits were made 100% with the Burkinabè cotton. François 1st tried to design some outfits and sell them in Europe, but it did not work. In 2004, he came back to Burkina Faso and started working on concept that can be a bridge between Europe and Africa. Thus, in 2008, he made a contemporary ethical line of clothes made with 100% cotton from Burkina Faso.

“Dressing is very important, it must be inculcated from an early age. It allows people to be clean, it builds an image, it allows one to have a personality and that’s very important,” says François 1st.