Sseko Designs
Sseko Designs was a Portland-based fair-trade fashion brand producing artisan-made apparel in Uganda. Following a 2022 merger with Noonday Collection it ceased independent operations, while its Ugandan production arm was spun off as Arise Kollections under local ownership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sseko Designs does
Sseko Designs was a Portland-based, for-profit fair-trade fashion company founded in 2009 by Liz Forkin Bohannon and Ben Bohannon. It produced apparel and accessories in collaboration with artisan partners, primarily in Uganda and East Africa, with the stated mission of providing employment and scholarship opportunities to women pursuing education and economic mobility. The company sold through direct e-commerce channels and a social-selling model that leveraged independent ambassadors.
In 2022 Sseko Designs executed two material structural changes: it merged with Noonday Collection to form what is described as the world's largest fair-trade fashion brand, and it spun off its Uganda production arm to its longest-tenured employee, Agnes Netunze, who became CEO and majority owner of the rebranded Arise Kollections. Following the merger, Liz Bohannon transitioned to Partner and Chief Growth Officer at Noonday Collection, while Sseko as an independent operating brand was absorbed.
The combined entity operates a direct-to-consumer and social-selling go-to-market, distributing fair-trade apparel globally. Arise Kollections, the Ugandan spin-off, is described as the largest African-owned export fashion brand in Uganda and ships directly to the United States. Revenue is not disclosed; disclosed funding is approximately $1.25 million (October 2018) plus undisclosed-value activity from Praxis (2015) and Portland Seed Fund (2020).
Sseko Designs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sseko Designs
- Website
- https://ssekodesigns.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sseko Designs was a Portland-based fair-trade fashion brand producing artisan-made apparel in Uganda. Following a 2022 merger with Noonday Collection it ceased independent operations, while its Ugandan production arm was spun off as Arise Kollections under local ownership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sseko Designs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fair-trade fashion apparel and accessories
- NAICS
- Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (316990), Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458)
- SIC
- Leather & Leather Products (3100), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Luxury & Designer Leather Goods Manufacturing (IMAOAHAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sustainable / Ethical Apparel & Accessories Wholesale (CRAOADAJ), Luxury Handbags & Leather Goods (CRAAAFAD), Tech & Utility Accessories (Phone Cases, Watch Bands, Key Holders) (CRAAAJAK)
Keywords
Where Sseko Designs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sseko Designs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fashion Apparel Sales: Sseko Designs generated revenue through the sale of fashion apparel, primarily through social-selling channels and e-commerce platforms following their merger with Noonday Collection.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Sseko Designs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sseko Designs produced and sold handcrafted fair-trade fashion apparel and accessories (including footwear, leather goods, bags, and jewelry) made by women artisans in Uganda. Products were originally sold through a social-selling model and the company's own e-commerce platform; following the merger with Noonday Collection, the product line is now distributed through Noonday Collection's platform and ambassador network, while the Uganda operation continues independently as Arise Kollections.
Product overview
Sseko Designs is a fair-trade fashion brand offering apparel and accessories made by global artisan partners. Following its merger with Noonday Collection (becoming the world's largest fair-trade fashion brand powered by social-selling), the company operates primarily through Noonday Collection's platform. Additionally, the former Sseko Uganda operation was rebranded as Arise Kollections in 2022, now an independent entity led by its original longest-tenured employee.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sseko Designs / Noonday Collection fair-trade apparel and accessories Handcrafted fair-trade apparel and accessories (including footwear, bags, jewelry, and leather goods) made by global artisan partners, sold via social-selling ambassadors and e-commerce to ethical-fashion consumers in the United States and globally.
- Arise Kollections (formerly Sseko Uganda) Independent African-owned export fashion brand based in Uganda, offering handcrafted apparel and accessories produced by local artisans and shipped directly to the United States. It is the largest African-owned export fashion brand in Uganda.
Companies that use Sseko Designs
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Sseko Designs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sseko Designs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Arise KollectionscoreFormerly Sseko Uganda, Arise Kollections is now led by Agnes Netunze as CEO and majority owner. Agnes started as a procurement intern over a decade ago and rose through the leadership ranks. The brand is the largest African-owned export fashion brand in Uganda and ships directly from Uganda to the United States.
- Noonday CollectioncoreSseko Designs merged with Noonday Collection to become the world's largest fair-trade fashion brand, powered by social-selling. Liz Bohannon currently serves as partner and Chief Growth Officer at Noonday Collection. The merger combined Sseko's artisan network and ethical fashion expertise with Noonday's social-selling infrastructure.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Sseko Designs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Noonday Collection: Sseko's parent company following the merger; operates the same fair-trade social-selling model with apparel and accessories sourced from global artisan partners. Most directly comparable given shared infrastructure and customer base.
- Arise Kollections: Sister company spun off from Sseko Uganda in 2022; largest African-owned export fashion brand in Uganda shipping directly to the US. Operates the same artisan-produced fair-trade apparel model under independent ownership.
- ABLE: Ethical fashion brand producing apparel and accessories while employing and empowering women globally; similar mission-driven DTC model with comparable price points and customer demographic.
- fashionABLE: Direct fair-trade fashion peer producing scarves, apparel, and accessories made by women in Ethiopia; comparable mission, sourcing geography, and target consumer seeking ethical fashion.
- Raven + Lily: Fair-trade fashion and accessories brand employing women artisans in developing countries; comparable business model, product mix (bags, jewelry, apparel), and ethical-fashion positioning.
- Trades of Hope: Fair-trade social-selling platform selling artisan-made apparel, accessories, and home goods; directly comparable go-to-market motion and mission-driven positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Everlane: Larger DTC apparel brand built on radical transparency and ethical sourcing; competes for the same conscious-consumer demographic with broader product range and significantly more capital.
- Patagonia: Established sustainable apparel incumbent with deep ethical supply chain credentials; competes for ethical-consumer mindshare across outerwear, apparel, and accessories with far greater scale.
Emerging players
- MADE (Made Trade): Ethical and sustainable fashion marketplace curating fair-trade, vegan, and recycled apparel and accessories from independent brands; partial overlap in customer base and values-based positioning.
- Thirty-One Gifts: Social-selling company offering bags, accessories, and home goods through a consultant network; comparable direct-to-consumer social-selling GTM even though product focus is broader.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sseko Designs social profiles
Digital presenceSseko Designs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sseko Designs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Sseko Designs subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Sseko Designs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sseko Designs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sseko Designs
What does Sseko Designs do?
Sseko Designs produced and sold handcrafted fair-trade fashion apparel and accessories (including footwear, leather goods, bags, and jewelry) made by women artisans in Uganda. Products were originally sold through a social-selling model and the company's own e-commerce platform; following the merger with Noonday Collection, the product line is now distributed through Noonday Collection's platform and ambassador network, while the Uganda operation continues independently as Arise Kollections.
Is Sseko Designs a public or private company?
Sseko Designs is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Sseko Designs founded?
Sseko Designs was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sseko Designs based?
Sseko Designs is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sseko Designs make money?
One revenue line is on record: fashion Apparel Sales.
Who are Sseko Designs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Noonday Collection, Arise Kollections, ABLE, fashionABLE, Raven + Lily and Trades of Hope. Broad incumbents are Everlane and Patagonia. Emerging players are MADE (Made Trade) and Thirty-One Gifts.
Does Sseko Designs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sseko Designs.
What industry is Sseko Designs in?
Sseko Designs's product category is Fair-trade fashion apparel and accessories. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAOAHAG, Luxury & Designer Leather Goods Manufacturing, with a secondary code of CRAOADAJ, Sustainable / Ethical Apparel & Accessories Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 3159 and its SIC code is 3100.