Tosheka Textiles is a social enterprise based in Kenya and the US that produces bags and accessories from recycled plastic bags. It has established a system to collect clean plastic bags from major retailers in Kenya and produce handcrafted products. This provides sustainable employment for hundreds of women while reducing plastic waste. The pitch deck outlines Tosheka's product line, market strategy, competitive advantage, and sales targets like wholesaling to Anthropic and securing online orders. It emphasizes the environmental and social impact of recycling plastic bags into high fashion products.

1. Pitch Deck Checklist
Please use this checklist as an outline for what your pitch deck must include in
order to be eligible for the Think Beyond Plastic competition. The pitch deck is
meant to be a persuasive overview of your product and business model. Please
use this as a guideline and answer each set of questions for each slide and
please limit your deck to the 11 slides outlined below. Applicants selected as
finalists will be required to submit a full business plan that goes into more detail.
Finished pitch decks can be uploaded to presentation hosting service such as
SlideShare.net. Decks will be used as the primary basis for first round judging, as well
as for the popular vote prize based on public voting. Please read our FAQs for
additional requirements.
Slide 1
Tosheka Textiles
614 N. 32nd street
Phila., PA, 19104
215-387-2742
Herman Bigham
Em: hblj2@aol.com
www.tosheka@toshekadesigns .com
Tosheka Textiles is a USA / Kenya based social enterprise that produces “Green
Textile “ products from natural & recycled fibers and dyes while providing sustainable
employment, maintaining traditional skills and dramatically reduce environmental
pollution in caused by plastic bags.
Slide 2
I Kenya the proliferation and disposal of plastic bags is a huge environmental problem
and polluting nuisance to cities and rural environments causing health hazards and
deaths to children and animals. They are consumed daily by the public with no
effective means of being disposed.
Tosheka Textiles has set up a system to dramatically reduce environmental pollution
in Kenya caused by the lack of effective collection and recycling systems for plastic
bags. Our project is called “Creating Recycled Treasures” it’s aim is to remove this
most prominent far reaching environmental, health problem.

2. Slide 3
We have established a replicable system for reuse, recycling and retail collaboration
with major retailers in Kenya to collect clean plastic bags and produce hand crafted
high fashion bags, accessories and household products for the global market.
We have establish a national program that includes government and community
organized cleanups and collection activities, reuse and incentive recycling programs.
The incentive system will provide monetary rewards for community based collection
and reuse of bags and will mirror the “system” that has successfully removed plastic
bottle waste from our streets. This system will be funded by retailers, government,
business sponsors and the income generated by recycling.
Our value proposition is established through our exclusive line of high fashion hand
crafted bags & accessories made with eco- friendly materials & processes that provide
long-term employment for hundreds of poor woman. Our customers appreciate the
sum of values that our product & compelling story offers. We can currently produce
thousand bags a month which intern removes two tons of plastic waste from the
environment.
Slide 4
We are beginning to sell our products through retail, wholesale and on line in
Kenya, USA & recently presented our products at a major trade show in
Germany. Our sales strategy is price driven with different products made for
different market segments and in making a connection of our clienteles’
product needs with our brand name. We initially targeted the local market of
high-end supermarkets and tourists with disposal incomes and that are
fashion and / or environmentally conscious. We are now securing orders for
export to the USA for spring and summer 2013 and expanding our
production to meet this broader export market.
Our primary target customers are in the moderate-to-upper moderate
income level fashion conscious customers that may also be environmentally
conscious and socially responsible. These customers access our products
from our strategic partners’ supermarket retailers, hotels, specialty stores
and tourist shops, exhibition shows, our website and online store.
Slide 5
Tosheka Textiles uses clean used plastic bags collected through a recycling
partnership project primarily with supermarkets and packaging industries to

3. produce ‘plarn’ (a terminology coined for plastic yarn) to make up cycled
high fashion bags that we call “Soko Bags”. Production of our Soko bags is
done by producer groups that we train to provide them with sustainable
income.
Our six years of textile training and working with the skilled cluster groups in
Makueni district in Kenya have provided us the capacity to produce high
quality hand woven bags and textile products from recycled plastic shopping
bags. Our finely woven, durable, fashionable and beautifully finished carryall
bags and accessories, are retailing in high volume retailers that is,
Nakumatt Supermarkets (leader retailer in East Africa), Tuskys, Uchumi
Hypers and Naivas, including hotels and specialty shops.
We have set up branded collection bins for clean used plastic bags, from
shoppers who also buy our up cycled bags in numerous supermarkets. We
have also established partnerships with manufacturing industries,
businesses, hotels, colleges and schools for collection of plastic waste and
awareness of our cause and business.
Slide 6
Our Market & Sales Strategy emphasizes the extraordinary “High Fashion”
products, social & environmental impact made by the “Creating Recycled
Treasures Project”. There is a highly respected value and appreciation for
our products being made from recycled goods and providing ecological,
cultural and economic benefit. There is a particular appreciation for the
quality and design of bags that we produce, including the decorative label
and story that we use to describe the ecological, cultural preservation and
economic benefit of our products.
We plan to achieve our primary sales through wholesaling to midsize
retailers like Anthropologie. We have also established an online Etsy shop
for online sales and a distribution warehouse in the United States.
Our first major buyer contact from Anthropologie, which is a chain of retail
stores that sells high-end women's apparel and accessories, headquartered
in Philadelphia had this to say about our soko bags… “….your story is very
inspiring! The product looks very exciting and I would love to see it in
person.” We have sent them samples for review. Anthroplogie operates over

4. 135 retail stores in the United States, while orders from its website and
catalog ship to over 30 countries worldwide.
We have made extensive use of print & social media to reach our target
audience and customers. We anticipate using more paid media outlets at
the cost of $ 17,000. Yearly. Our business has been published in the
University of Penn of Pennsylvania Wharton Small Business Development
Center as one of their ‘success stories’. We have also been featured in the
mainstream media in Kenya, (in television and radio networks, Standards
smart money and Nations Business daily, Nakumatts Smart Life), the
Ethical Fashion Forum, UK and in the Los Angeles Times in August 2012
“special article on Up Cycling”. Our project has been endorsed and is
supported by The National Environmental Management Association of
Kenya (NEMA)
Our sales strategy is price driven with different products made for different
market segments and in making a connection of our clienteles’ product
needs with our brand name. We initially targeted the local market of high-
end supermarkets and tourists with disposal incomes and that are fashion
and / or environmentally conscious. We are now securing orders for export
to the USA for spring and summer 2013 and expanding our production to
meet this broader export market.
In our first six months we hired services of a marketing consultant with
experience in fashion merchandising for high-end stores to develop our
branding, market strategy and plan. At end of this consultancy we
developed our initial product line and marketing tools such as the look book
/ catalogue, label, brochures, press kit, sales pitch and vetted our preferred
vendors and buyers of our soko bags in the USA. Under the direction of the
Marketing Director, Drexel University Students provided support for our
graphics and branding and a group of Columbia University MBA students
contributed to our marketing plan for the East Coast.
Target Market:
Our primary target customers are in the moderate-to-upper moderate
income level fashion conscious customers that may also be environmentally
conscious and socially responsible. These customers access our products
from our strategic partners’ supermarket retailers, hotels, specialty stores
and tourist shops, exhibition shows, our website and online store.

5. http://www.etsy.com/shop/ToshekaTextiles www.toshekadesigns.com
Slide 7
Competitive Position/ Advantage:
Tosheka has developed business driven solutions with significant impact on
the environment and that provides income which eliminates the need to
leave the homesteads to go to the cities in hopes of finding meager
employment. This distinguishes Tosheka from any potential competitor or
the few businesses that engage in similar recycling or up cycling production.
It also gives us access to the market place and long-term relationships with
our partners, stakeholders and customers.
Our recycling business model is unique because it involves the government,
corporations and the community in participating and engaging in a ‘green’
economy. Our producer groups are attracted to our capacity to sell their
products through the major supermarkets with more than of (73) big lot
stores in East Africa. Tosheka’s mottos is ‘Pay for Product’ which means
that we only purchase quality goods ordered from the community groups
and encourage competitive cluster enterprises to standardize the quality
that meets our target market demand.
Our locally made hand crafted recycled textile products utilizing traditional
skills and contemporary designs for the high end and medium income
consumers is also unique and of better quality, unlike the commercial poorly
made “sweat shop” products. We produce cutting edge designs changing
with the market trend, environmentally socially conscious products and
support a community enterprise value chain. We are the pioneers of the
future “Green Textile Economy”, the Kenyan government’s vision and
COMESA region’s goals of and making competitive products that truly
address poverty alleviation and the environmental pollution caused by
plastic bags.
Slide 8
The Management:
Tosheka Textiles principals are Herman Bigham – (CEO), Lucy Bigham -
(COO) and Nyokabi Mwangi (Associate Director) seasoned business
developers and managers. The CEO has a wealth of experience in

6. management of successful businesses in USA and has managed and
operated a (16) Million dollars in construction in USA, built a (3 mil)
performing arts center and developed a travelling exhibition featuring
African Sculptural Art that travels nationally in the USA and has been
viewed by over 3 million people. The COO is textile surface designer with a
BA in Design and an MA in International Business Analysis. She has over
20 years experience in the development and management of economic
empowerment projects in Kenya and textile production workshops in Kenya
and USA.
Yvonne Nyokabi Mwangi ,SENIOR MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
Result oriented leader with dynamic organization skills. Utilizes team
approach to drive organizational implementation of best practices. Offers
well developed interpersonal skills and strong facilitation skills.
Qualified manager with 5 years successful experience in providing administrative and
logistic operations in uniquely challenging situations. Has motivated and worked with
people of all ages and various backgrounds in training and administrative capacities.
Has the ability to discern and respond to the needs of the clients and the flexibility only
generated by working with a wide range and variety of people.
Our business advisor is Mr. Mark Maguire of the University of Penn of
Pennsylvania Wharton Small Business Development Center
Seed funding was provided by the Untours Foundation, contact Ms.
Elizabeth Killough - www. Untoursfoundation.org
Slide 9
Financials: What is your projected revenue three and five years out & how many
customers do you expect to have then, and at what conversion rate?

7. See projected revenue statement. We expect to have the following number of
customers in the following categories.
Kenya Supermarkets 65
Kenya Hotels/Boutiques 30
Exports USA 32
Export Europe 15
What startup capital do you need?
$ 150,000
Have you raised any money through friends, family or angels?
Yes, our resources ($ 20,000) friends, family ( $ 8.500) and ( $ 50,000.)
Seed funding was provided by the Untours Foundation
How long will that money will last, and when will you need to raise your next
round? The grant will last us for one year and enable us to be comfortably in
the revenue stage.
Financial forecasts are, by nature, guesses, but we need to see your
thinking behind them. See attached and information below.
Business Financials:
Our financial diagnostics values and findings are in a good range. Using our
income projections, comfortable operating and training cost figures with
significant cash reserves we demonstrate moderate profitability in the
second year. Our Advertising budget in the first year was low because
Tosheka capitalized on Nakumatt, other retailers, the hotels and plastic
manufacturing industries ability to give us the exposure we need. We plan to
increase this budget in the long run as we venture into other markets.
The company projects rapid growth, with significant profitability in the
second year. Our operating plan emphasizes the reinvestment of income for

8. product development according to market appraisals, marketing, training
and expansion. Our aggressive sales revenues will enable us in year three
to fund our growth internally even without additional investments beyond
that currently sought. We will then seek funds for business expansion and
replication of this project in Haiti. We received seed funding of $50,000 to
initiate the project, which was insufficient for us to fully develop and pursue
our business opportunities.
Slide 10
Tosheka Textiles is structurally and operationally ecologically sound
because we have designed a replicable business and production model to
convert traditional textile skills into the production of finished high quality
competitive products for the global market made from recycled plastic bags
in Kenya. We only use natural & recycled fibers and dyes and conserve
energy & natural recourses in our production.
Tosheka Textiles mission is to become the brand leader for eco and ethical
textiles in Africa and a brand name associated with production of quality,
high fashion products in the global market place.
Our business endeavor is to preserve and blend traditional skills and
knowledge with contemporary designs and to produce products that are
beneficial to the environment. Our replicable business model is also
designed to provide long-term sustainable incomes for hundreds of people
in low-income rural and urban communities and building a highly profitable
and expandable textile business.
Our operation includes a training and recruitment program for our producer
groups, standardization of our products and quality checks, plastic bag and
product collection and distribution and delivery systems that support our
business activities. We have established support from major stakeholders to
support public awareness campaigns and promotion for recycling of plastic
bags, incentives and collection of used clean plastic bags. We have

9. partnered with the leading supermarket to launch the recycling project with a
major marketing effort to effectively advertise and maintain the enthusiasm
for our Nation Wide Collection, Recycling and campaign for buying our up
cycled “Soko” bags and other products
Tosheka textiles employed a rigorous system of training trainers from our
producer groups to extend our production capacity and monitor quality. We
currently have 15 producer groups and a total of 180 producers. Our trained
producers can produce an average of 3 to 4 bags a week; we are therefore
looking to increase our producers to a total of 400 by the end of 2013 to
reach our production target of at least 4500 bags a month.
Slide 11
Current Status & Use of Funds:
We are currently retailing in (18) supper markets in Kenya and grossing
aprox. $1,500.00 per month which are retailing on average at only $12.
each. We need resources to increase our production as that we can stock
the hotels and specialty store and US market were we can increase of
income 2 -3 times. We are finalizing orders with Anthropology & Wal- mart.
We currently need cash flow support to restart our producer training
activities which we have had to limited because of lack of funding We are
seeking capacity building support for our all ready successful "Creating
Recycled Treasures Project", This recycling and environmental preservation
project has the potential to provide sustainable employment for (400) needy
workers this year. We cannot achieve success or take advantage of the
sales opportunities and project impact without an additional funding support
of $ 35,000. to $ 50,000. Our original business plan required $ 100,000.
and we are at the brink of success and have far surpassed the
scope, opportunities and impact of our initial Plan. The funds will also be
used for completing the setup of our business, operation and project
management infrastructure in Kenya & sales, marketing and administrative
staff in the USA.
Accomplishments to Date:

10. We have established a unique recycling business model that involves the
retail stores such as Nakumatt to partner with us in providing a platform to
collect the used bags and to sell the finished recycled bags as their
corporate responsibility project. We have set up branded collection bins for
clean used plastic bags, from shoppers who also buy our up cycled bags in
numerous supermarkets. We have also established partnerships with
manufacturing industries, businesses, hotels, colleges and schools for
collection of plastic waste and awareness of our cause and business.
We also partner with producer groups that have low or no income and
tapping their traditional skills to develop contemporary recycled products
designed by Tosheka.
This model will provide a supporting business structure and environment
that will drive the profitable ability to inspire growth of small scale community
textile and related businesses. Our project is a replicable model for
communities with specific skills of being able to convert the traditional skills
in production of a standard of finished competitive products worldwide.
We have designed a system of production using fair labor practices,
traditional weaving, knitting, and crochet techniques of Kenya artisan to
provide sustainable in the comfort of their own communities.
Our project and products have been exceptionally received by partners,
shoppers and media . Our recycling demonstration project with Nakumatt
and our experience over the past year has proven that the shopping public
will participate in a recycling program that has mutual benefit for the
environment and community.
Our project is held in high regard by NEMA and we are collaborating with
Kenyatta Univ. and local grade schools on collection and recycling program.
We have recently met with a series of local manufactures and companies
and they are very impressed with our plans, products and approach. They
have invited us to provide proposals on how they can support our work
to fulfilling and expanding our mission in Kenya. We have recently met with
a series of local manufactures and companies and they are very impressed
with our plans, products and approach.

11. We have trained a staff of trainers and project managers; have trained
and employed over two hundred producers who are earning between 1200
– 2,000 ksh per week. We have also influenced the three largest retailers in
East Africa to participate in our recycling, reuse and product retail
program. We are currently retailing our bags in eighteen stores and have
been challenged to keep up with the demand and build inventory the
national retail exposure of approx. ( 80) stores,The Hotels, specialty shops
and one million annual tourist ,and the US export market.
Our business has been published in the University of Penn of Pennsylvania
Wharton Small Business Development Center as one of their ‘success
stories and featured in their in their annual report and the promotional
materials. We have also been featured in the mainstream media in Kenya,
(in television and radio networks, Standards smart money and Nations
Business daily, Nakumatts Smart Life), the Ethical Fashion Forum, UK and
in an upcoming Los Angles Times “special article on Up Cycling”. Our
project has been endorsed and is supported by The National Environmental
Management Association of Kenya (NEMA). Under the direction of the
Marketing Director, Drexel University Students provided support for our
graphics and branding and a group of Columbia University MBA students
contributed to our marketing plan for the East Coast.
We have developed business driven solutions with significant impact that
helps to elevate the need for families to generate income without deserting
their homesteads to go to the cities in hopes of finding meager employment.
Our motto will be ‘Pay for Product’ which means that we will only purchase
quality goods from the community groups and encourage competitive
cluster enterprises to standardize the quality that meets our target market
demand.
Tosheka textiles innovative recycling business will raise the consciousness,
demonstrate the benefits, promote the participation of the masses in
recycling and provide sustainable income to people in need. This business
will encourage other companies to launch recycle projects and finding new
ways to recycle plastic bags and other plastic materials. Our business will

12. engage and encourage the public to recycled and use our bags for shopping
and their by reduce the use of disposable plastic bags.
We have done several national trade shows & was recently documented
with an lengthy presentation on KBC TV. Also, we were just chosen by the
Women's Enterprise Fund (WEF) / Export Promotion Council (EPC)
program (which aims at enhancing women access to international
markets ) as a winner in the National Business competition for the
most innovative business. We have been awarded primary funding to
participate in an international trade show in Germany and an event to meet
the President Kibaki.
Tosheka has developed a replicable model for communities to convert their
traditional skills into the production of finished high quality competitive
products for the global market. TT has provided a supporting business
structure and environment that will drive the profitable business and inspire
growth of small scale community textile and related businesses. In a region
scarred by intractable poverty we are providing a system of innovative
programs to build new sources of sustainable employment and business
opportunity.
This project was only conceived of nine months ago but we believe our
efforts have established an effective platform that we can use to
collaborate to rid Kenya of this most substantial health problem and provide
sustainable incomes for thousands of people. Our project helps to restore
traditional skills, provide a living wage for hundreds of producers and help
rid our community of this polluting health hazard. We are an ethical and
progressive company, committed to the sustainable development of Africa.
Timeline for the Near Future:
Our near-term objectives are to:
Increase our production as that we can stock the hotels and specialty store
and US market were we can increase of income 2 -3 times.

13. To complete the setup of our business, operation and project management
infrastructure in Kenya & sales, marketing and administrative staff in the
USA.
After complication of the above (next six – eight months) will greatly expand
our product line and production capacity to meet the global market demand
for unique, quality green and recycled products. We intend becoming a
brand leader with our name associated with the sum of all valuable qualities
our products distinctly mean to consumers. Most importantly we seek to
refine our business mission and help shape this challenging and truly
rewarding industry and its impact on the environment and the economic
empowerment of disadvantaged communities.
Our long-term goal is to reduce the consumption of plastics and to use the
income and assets of this enterprise to develop a full-scale commercial
green textile production facility in Kenya using cotton and other natural
fibers, dyes and pigments. The planning for this project was put on hold
because of the incredible opportunity that the recycled bag project offers
and the high capital investment required for the textile workshop.