Choolips redefines ancient textiles traditions introducing covetable luxuries of high quality craftsmanship back into fashion.

Our womenswear & accessories collections tell stories of exquisitely detailed beauty. The beauty of our collections lies in a seamless blend of cultures, traditional crafts and innovative techniques, furthering equitable trade with each print or stitch made.

Choolips‘ aim is to harmonise the mindset of producers and consumers. We trade fairly, produce locally and have small water & carbon footprints.

Choolips’ ‘Golden Coast’ collection is inspired by the soul of Ghana’s streets: its music and its people. Fairly traded, printed in Ghana by local batikers and tailored by SOKO seamstresses & tailors in Kenya, the collection is colourful, bright and bold.

Choolips’ new collection ‘Planet India’ is made entirely by hands. Handspun on spinning wheels & handwoven khadi fabrics are embellished with handstitched applique details. Khadi is more than an exquisitely soft material. Khadi has enormous sustainable credentials. It ONLY consumes 3ltrs of water for 1metre of cloth in its entire production compared to mill cloth which consumes 55ltrs for 1metre. Besides this it was Ghandi’s cloth who promoted its production for rural self-employment and self-reliance. The range is produced in Ahmedabad/India by www.rajka.com

Take a look at our Blog to see how we do things.

CHOOLIPS’ Designer Annegret Affolderbach is a fashion entrepreneur with wide-reaching vision. Growing up in East Germany, Annegret moved to London in the mid 90’s. Annegret’s passion for textiles brought to mind the idea to revamp ancient techniques such as Batik. The aim was to create on trend textiles to be made into what women desire: dresses. These were to be produced by a local skilled workforce, following Fairtrade principles, in the home country of those techniques.

Choolips’ initial collection of 3 dresses and 2 Batik prints reached for the stars. The range was awarded ‘Global Commercial Dress & Print Design’/Ethical Fashion Forum’ and bought by Topshop to fly off shelves.

Today CHOOLIPS’ award-winning signature not simply empowers developing communities and flourishes ‘Trade not Aid’ but also brings sunshine to Western Shores. It has been recognised beyond commercial success with awards such as ‘Young Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year 2009′ – Finalist/British Council’ and ‘Barclays Innovative Business of the Year 2008′.