
Named after a rousing poem by Anis Mojgani, Shake the Dust is a social enterprise founded by Kathy Shenoy in late 2012 after she spent three years living in Africa, working on craft and design projects.

Shake The Dust creates collaborations and opportunities for emerging British designers and skilled makers in developing countries – through a retail platform and events such as Design Wallah, Kathy’s latest project commissioned by Southbank Centre, a showcase of design from South Asia, a region close to Kathy’s heart, due to her own Indian heritage.

“Hand-made products bring a rare element of soul and craftsmanship into our homes and it is in this spirit that Shake the Dust connects you to beautiful products and their creators,” says Kathy. “Shake the Dust stands for ethical transparency without compromising style. The brand is founded on the belief that good design, ethical production and profitability are not mutually exclusive. Shake the Dust promotes development and sustainability for both designers, producers and the industry and offers a unique blend of good design with a conscience.”

Further reading for the especially geeky:
- design for good :: patient dignity
- design for good :: a better a&e
- design for good :: a litre of light
- design for good :: gert
Image 1: Armchair by Josie Shenoy in collaboration with Shake the Dust, Peacock Lampshade by Josie Shenoy Illustration, Dowry Truck by Kairaasi. Image 2: Rectangle Mindful Cushions by Waffle Design. Image 3: Notebooks by Kapdaa, Tote Bags by Piccadelhi. Image 4: Global Truck Print by Kangan Arora. All photography by Yeshen Venema.

Shake the dust sounds fantastic !!
Nice article, Katie, and wonderful images and design products! All the best to Anis, the project and the craftspeople. I hope they will succeed!
With a team of like-minded individuals in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and Berlin, I am in fact working on a somewhat similar project: we`re making design products from local felt and leather such as laptop cases, handcrafted in Kyrgyzstan. If interested, have a look at http://kancha.de/en
Fell free to get in touch with us if you would like to find out more!
Best wishes from Bishkek
Tobias