&Proud

Myself, partner in crime, and fellow designer Fiona wanted to challenge ourselves, and put our design thinking and application skills to the test. We decided to take a leap of faith and move on from our stable jobs to volunteer our skills in Malawi, Africa. We came into the protect with an open mind and heart, eager to learn about the people, culture, and story of the non-profit project Clean & Proud.

Fiona, as a service designer was responsible for the systems and unraveling the structure of the project, in order for us to put it back together again. I was responsible for transforming our research and newfound understanding of the project into a clear and cohesive brand system. Luckily, myself and Fiona are both multidisciplinary designers, overcoming all the obstacles in our way including power outages, lack of internet, and zero budget.

The original brand naming, project naming and overall brand/business system and structure were very confused and bewildering to their audience and themselves (the founders Beatrice & George). Through Fiona’s design thinking process we narrowed down the essence of the non-profit and gave it clarity, differentiating the two sides of the business. You can deep dive into that side of the process with Fiona.

I created a brand that takes its inspiration from the life, beauty, and vibrance of Malawi in a respectful and honest way. The Malawian people are warm, kind, and curious, open to the two foreigners who ask a lot of questions and do a lot of scribbling in their pink notebooks. Every aspect of the brand was influenced by the light and life of Malawi, from its rich and diverse colour palette to the paired back and bold illustration style – while keeping the people and story at the core of the brand.
&Proud (Fashion Brand) –
This is the main body of the social enterprise. The profit from the sales of the products are invested in the non-profit project.
Clean & Proud (Non-Profit Project) –Plastic is seen as a valuable commodity in Malawi, preferred over hand-made items, it’s durable, waterproof, and resilient. The Clean & Proud Project collects the local plastic waste in Mzuzu, which is used as the base of the &Proud products. The Project is responsible for outreach programs, teaching local people about the issues surrounding plastic. Stagnant water mixed with the pollution of plastic leads to cholera outbreaks in shared drinking locations. Plastic sheeting used in cooking melts during the cooking process and contaminates food. Clean & Proud’s outreach projects help save lives, by educating Malawian people about the damage plastic waste can cause.
&Proud Brand Identity
Non-profit Brand Identity
Product Naming & Strategy
Web design
Art Direction & Photography
Product Packaging
Digital Design
Market Displays
Team t-shirt

Labelling System
I created an inside and outside, recycled cotton label, along with the swing tag. I was mindful not to take away from the vibrance and impact of the African Chitengi patterns of the bags. I wanted to create a labelling structure that could tell the &Proud story, heroing the people behind the product, and the story of the bag. The simplicity of the labelling creates a visual pause and contrast between the pattern of the product and the negative space of the labelling.

The site had to be simple because Fiona took on the task of re-creating my design in WordPress. The combination of zero previous WP experience, 0.05mph internet upload speed, and power outages was a test of Fiona’s determination!