A large room attached to Margaret and William Okello’s home houses five large looms and several spinning wheels. Young people learn the arts of spinning cotton thread and weaving cotton cloth from the couple. The thread is made from Kenyan cotton grown at some of the neighboring farms, unlike most thread made in Kenya, which is made of imported cotton. It takes William two full days to thread a loom, which will be used to make a piece of material the size of a full size bed cover.

The material ranges from loosely woven, textured patterns to finely spun, tight weaves. Beautiful natural colored tablecloths and napkins contain a subtle windowpane texture. Brightly dyed dresses and shirts have that nubby feel of raw silk.

Because of the time and effort it takes to produce the material. The cost of Pendeza Weaver products is not in line with the local Kenyan market. The majority of their sales is to foreigners who see the sign outside their home on the road from Nairobi. The kikoys they make are a utilitarian piece of cloth used by Kenyan women to protect their clothing while cooking, to tie a sleeping child to their backs, or as a impromptu picnic blanket are, however, quite affordable and popular in Kenya because they are 100% cotton and are a high quality. This quality is reflected in all of the Pendeza Weaving products, as is the painstaking care that goes into each piece of material.

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