Meet the Artisans: Rosie, the Tailor Behind Our Handmade Sling Bags
Matthew Temple
Rosie is one of the lead tailors who make our handmade sling bags. If you saw our 17-second video of a Buru going from flat fabric to finished sling, Rosie is the person who made it.
This is the first post in our Meet the Artisans series, where we introduce the people who make what you buy from us. We're starting with Rosie for a simple reason: we named a bag after her.
The bag she helped design is the Rozi, a convertible handmade crossbody sling bag in canvas or vegan leather, from $48.
Who Makes EcoDunia's Handmade Sling Bags?
A small team in EcoDunia's own workshop in Nairobi makes every bag by hand, and Rosie is one of its lead tailors.
EcoDunia is Verified Fair Trade, so the way we pay and treat the people who make your bag is independently audited, not just promised by us. Here is Rosie in her own words.
Rosie's story in brief
When Rosie joined our team in 2022, she had never made a bag. She was fresh out of tailoring school with little experience. But we saw quickly that she cared about her craft and that she would be a great fit.
She loves the challenge of making a good bag, the high standards that we set, and how she has had to grow to both meet those standards and then come to embody them. She is proud of the living she makes here, which pays her bills and her daughter's school fees. We're lucky to have her in the workshop.
Video transcript
"Hi, my name is Rosyline. I'm a tailor. I've been working at EcoDunia since 2022, up to now. What I like about EcoDunia is I learn new things. When I came, I could not even make a bag. But right now, I have changed a lot. My speed has changed. I can make neat stitches.
The change in my life is, each and every day when I wake up, I come here knowing that by the end of the month I get something. I can pay my bills, my daughter's school fees. I like working here because the people I'm working with are nice and lovely. To interact with them is not hard."
From Learner to Lead Tailor: Rosie's Story
Every tailor at EcoDunia starts on our simplest bags and works up to harder ones, one style at a time. We train a lot, and honestly, not everyone makes it through. It isn't easy.
Rosie did. She went from her first simple bags to being one of our lead tailors, the people who teach new tailors how we make each style.
"Rosie is a rock in the workshop and a great teacher," says Cera Muchiri, EcoDunia's founder. "It's wonderful how she has grown, not only into a great artisan, but into a great teacher and leader."
Her full name is Rosyline Akinyi. Everyone in the workshop calls her Rosie. That's the name we gave her bag too, spelled the Swahili way: Rozi, which also means flower.
How a Handmade Sling Bag Comes Together
A handmade sling bag goes from flat fabric to finished bag in three stages, all done by hand. Rosie's part is the stitching, which is where the bag takes its shape.
- Cut. Julius, the lead tailors' assistant, cuts the panels from Fair Trade cotton canvas or vegan leather, plus strips of kitenge, a traditional Kenyan textile with bright printed patterns. He also sets out the zips and buckles for each bag.
- Stitch. A lead tailor sews the panels, sets the zips and pockets, and binds the inside edges in kitenge.
- Check. Each finished bag gets a quality check before it ships.
On an average day, Rosie stitches 5 to 6 bags. A simple pochi pouch might mean 14 in a day. A large, complex bag like our backpack takes so much work that 2 is a full day. In 2025 we upgraded her to a walking foot machine, a much more powerful machine that feeds thick canvas and vegan leather evenly.
The kitenge is the part people notice when they open the bag. It's on the inside on purpose: a flash of color only you see, until someone asks about it.
The Rozi: The Convertible Sling Bag Named After Rosie
The Rozi is our convertible sling bag, and Rosie helped design it. You can wear it on your shoulder, across your body, or as a sling, and the strap comes off completely.
How Rosie helped design the Rozi
When Cera has an idea for a new bag, she shows it to each of our lead tailors and asks which one they're drawn to. Rosie loved the Rozi. Cera set the direction, and Rosie filled in the gaps with her own ideas.
Then came the testing: try something, see what works, change what doesn't. Once Rosie got it right, she trained every other tailor in the workshop to make it. That's why it carries her name.
Rozi sizes, materials and prices
It comes in canvas or vegan leather, each in two sizes, and every one is lined with kitenge highlights. The strap clips on with bronze-toned swivel snap hooks and adjusts up to 56 inches.
| Rozi version | Size | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas 1L | 5" × 7" × 2" | $48 |
| Canvas 2L | 6.5" × 8" × 2" | $52 |
| Vegan leather 1L | 5" × 7" × 2" | $52 |
| Vegan leather 2L | 6.5" × 8" × 2" | $58 |
Every Rozi has a zippered front pocket, a hidden back pocket and an inside slip pocket. Pick the 1L for the basics: phone, cards, keys, and maybe sunglasses. Pick the 2L if you also carry a small water bottle or an e-reader.
What Rozi owners say
The Rozi is rated 4.93 out of 5 across 15 reviews. Ann H. bought the vegan leather 2L: "It is the perfect size for everyday errands and when I travel." Another buyer wrote: "I like that the strap is very versatile."
Rozi or Buru: Which Handmade Sling Bag Is Right for You?
Choose the Rozi if you want one bag you can wear three ways. Choose the Buru if you want a classic sling with a magnetic phone holder on the front and a zippered back pocket. The Rozi is more of a square design, whereas the Buru has a rounded, elegant design.
- Rozi: convertible, removable strap, from $48. Best for errands, travel days and nights out.
- Buru: 10" × 6.25" × 1.5", $64 in canvas or $68 in vegan leather. Best for everyday carry, worn crossbody or on the shoulder.
Still deciding on material? Our guide to canvas vs. vegan leather walks through both. You can also compare all four styles in our best sling bags for women.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes EcoDunia bags?
A small team in EcoDunia's own workshop in Nairobi, Kenya makes every bag by hand. Julius, the lead tailors' assistant, cuts the pieces, a tailor such as Rosie stitches the bag, and each one gets a quality check before it ships.
Are EcoDunia sling bags handmade?
Yes. Every EcoDunia sling bag is handmade, from cutting the canvas or vegan leather to stitching the panels and binding the inside in kitenge, a traditional Kenyan textile.
How many bags can a tailor make in a day?
It depends on the bag. Rosie stitches 5 to 6 bags on an average day: up to 14 simple pochi pouches, or just 2 of our largest bags, like the backpack. Cutting and quality checks are extra steps on top of that.
Is the Rozi bag convertible?
Yes. The Rozi has a removable strap with swivel snap hooks, so you can wear it on the shoulder, crossbody, or as a sling. The Rozi 1L even fits on a belt! The strap adjusts up to 56 inches.
What is the difference between a crossbody bag and a sling bag?
A crossbody bag hangs at your hip from a strap worn across your body. A sling bag sits higher and closer, across your chest or back. A convertible bag like the Rozi can be worn both ways.
What is kitenge?
Kitenge is a traditional Kenyan textile with bold, colorful printed patterns. We use it for the bright highlights inside our sling bags.
Why is the bag called Rozi?
Rozi means flower in Swahili. The bag is named after Rosie, the lead tailor who helped design it and then trained the rest of the workshop to make it.
Shop the Bag Rosie Helped Design
Shop the Rozi, or see all our handmade sling bags. They're made by Rosie and the team, and ship from Chicago. Right now, spending $74 or more on bags adds a free canvas toiletries bag and free US shipping (offers and prices can change). Want to know what Fair Trade means for a bag like this one? Read what makes a bag Fair Trade.
