What happens when sustainability meets style?
The wave of fast fashion has led to an overwhelming increase in waste generation. As of 2022, the World Bank records that 2.56 billion tonnes of waste are created. Nearly 5 % of waste in landfill are textile waste. The majority of these fabrics are made from non-biodegradable materials such as nylon, polyester, and denim, which remain on earth and lead to air, water and soil pollution and a high risk of terminal diseases like cancer.
500 million pairs of jeans end up in landfills every year. Year after year, these jeans are discarded, filling up our landfills and putting our planet at risk. Temilade Salami saw this and decided to take action.
Earlier this year, Temilade Salami, popularly known as The Global Temi, a Nigerian climate educator and communication expert, launched TUNTUNRE, a sustainable fashion brand that turns fashion waste into high-quality fashion statements.
Fashion has always been about keeping up with trends, and once these trends are over, fashion items are discarded as another trend takes over the industry. But fashion is also creativity. What if these items, instead of filling up the planet, are made to be something new? This is the mission of Tuntunre..
Tuntunre: /toon-toon-ray/
Etymology: Yoruba
Meaning: This is New
Through the operation BRING YOUR JEANS(BYJ), Tutunre collects old denim and turns them into fashionable pieces like bags, purses, pouches, laptop cases, earrings, lanyards, bag charms and many more.
With Tutunre, she combines her expertise in sustainability with her love for style. Launched in Lagos, Nigeria, on March 8th, International Women’s Day, with the first collection: THE GENESIS DROP featuring amazing products like the Lagos Tote bag, the beauty pouch and the Kekere bag that immediately became people’s favourite.
Lagos Tote Bag:
Beauty Pouch:
Kekere Bag:
The next drop in Tuntunre’s collection, The Evolution, is set to drop on April 18th, 2026.
The Global Temi is not just rescuing old denim; she is providing jobs for women artisans and saving the planet. For every 10 pairs of jeans rescued, 75,000 litres of water are saved. Combining tech with fashion, every fashion piece comes with a digital passport that createsfull transparency on materials, makers, and impact.
Tuntunre is transforming Africa from being a site where fashion is dumped to a place where it is given a new life.
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