Behind the Design
Khenti is a Black-owned and woman-owned streetwear clothing business that provides functional, high-quality, unique clothes for anyone to wear. At Khenti, we design clothing that is not only versatile, but also environmentally friendly.
At Khenti, we will never dump our overstock. We commit to keeping our inventory until it sells out, we don’t just dump our seasonal pieces if they don’t sell right away. The sustainable part of what we do – “sustainable” fabrics don’t always work well, feel comfortable or fit or hold up as well.
All of our clothes are unisex sizes and we use non-irritable fabric so people who have sensitive skin can wear our apparel. Khenti is ideal for anyone looking to invest in high-quality, long-lasting clothing.
Our Process
Design
As the lead designer, I do visual research and create a moodboard for color and styles. I am inspired by regular people and their streetwear.
I sketch and collage to create looks that I respond to and then collaborate with designers to bring my vision to life.
For our fabrics, we choose fabrics with a blend of 84% cotton (because it’s non-irritable) and 13% polyester (for durability).
Manufacturing
We work with our Manufacturer to share all of the details needed on the garments. The manufacturer ships us a sample or the actual finished product. We decide on our order quantity.
I learned that in life you have to collaborate and work with others. I researched US options that were extremely expensive. Manufacturers in China had more affordable prices. Some were hard to understand, and some only had a pre-existing product that you could add a logo onto.
The one I landed on is well organized, has worked with other brands, is easy to communicate with online and What’s App, and had great reviews of their work.
Khenti started working with our manufacturing partner on jeans – but that product was difficult to refine. We pivoted to work on hoodies. We also made the decision to work with high-quality fabrics, and having an offshore manufacturer helped get this done affordably. Our goal is to branch out and work with other manufacturers who align with our business vision.
For every Khenti product, we get samples from the manufacturer to make sure the product is quality and up our standards.
It roughly takes 6 months to go from design to having a final product in-hand.
Connecting with Consumers
Khenti products are available at various market events in the Richmond region including at high school markets, Girls For A Change Market Day and the Diamond Flea Market.
Khenti have several friends and customers who advocate for the brand and spread the word.