Kenyan sports brand has big plans
A sportswear company based in Nairobi, Kenya is urging the country’s professional runners to wear clothing from their home nation, according to a report by CNN.
A group of young entrepreneurs have launched Kourage Athletics, which they say is Kenya’s first running brand.
“There are a lot of Kenyan athletes and you always see them wearing Nike and Adidas and not something from their own country,” designer for Kourage Athletics, Hussein Kurji, told CNN. “We do have quite a good track record when it comes to running, so why not match that with an equally big clothing brand.”
Kourage says it creates running apparel that’s “designed, manufactured and managed in Kenya by Kenyans”.
The name of the brand represents the company’s ethos. “Kourage is all about having the courage to do new things, try new things, be brave and go out and do what you would not normally do,” Mr Kurji said.
The brand officially launched in July 2011, producing just over 1,000 t-shirts. While initial orders are low, the team aims to eventually make everything from running shorts to hooded sweatshirts once they have more capital.
Kourage Athletics clothes are produced by Viva Africa, a Kenyan-owned and operated factory, employing around 200 people, mostly women. The factory makes everything from police uniforms to high-end fashion.
