Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Updated 1040 GMT (1840 HKT) January 9, 2014

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Photos: Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations – Ali Lamu is a business transforming old sails and other recycled items into artwork and handbags.

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Based on the beautiful Kenyan island of Lamu, the company is well known for its designs featuring big red hearts.

Photos: Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations – Based on the beautiful Kenyan island of Lamu, the company is well known for its designs featuring big red hearts.

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Photos: Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations – Lamu fisherman Ali Omar is the co-founder of the business.

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Photos: Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations – Together with Daniela Bleattler, they set up Ali Lamu in 2008.

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The main material they use is a canvas called tanga in Swahili, the old sails from the fishermen's traditional boats.

Photos: Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations – The main material they use is a canvas called tanga in Swahili, the old sails from the fishermen's traditional boats.

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The company creates anything from whimsical paintings and high-end handbags to beautiful bed covers and cushions

Photos: Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations – The company creates anything from whimsical paintings and high-end handbags to beautiful bed covers and cushions

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Ali Lamu's creations are usually adorned with thoughtful and uplifting messages promoting love, peace and care for the environment.

Photos: Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations – Ali Lamu's creations are usually adorned with thoughtful and uplifting messages promoting love, peace and care for the environment.

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Photos: Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations – "I just close my eyes and see what the day brings," says Bleattler, describing how she comes up with the messages.

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Photos: Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations – Ali Lamu says it has 34 permanent staff and sometimes employs as many as 70 people.

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Photos: Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations – The company has a couple of workshops on the island but most of the craftsmanship is done in the artisans' homes.

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Photos: Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations – These are people who are usually Omar's family members, friends and other local fishermen.

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Ali Lamu sells its designs from a small boutique, mostly to tourists, as well as online. "We do survive because of exports, otherwise we wouldn't make it," says Bleattler.

Photos: Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations

Made with love...Ali Lamu's creations – Ali Lamu sells its designs from a small boutique, mostly to tourists, as well as online. "We do survive because of exports, otherwise we wouldn't make it," says Bleattler.

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