Heritage, creativity, and ecological resilience in West Africa
Togo, a small but culturally rich country on the Gulf of Guinea, is known for its vibrant markets, traditional crafts, and diverse ethnic heritage. From handwoven textiles to ritual masks and drumming, the arts remain central to Togolese identity. Yet the country also faces serious environmental pressures: deforestation, soil erosion, coastal erosion, and plastic waste. In response, Togolese artists and cultural communities are embracing sustainability in the arts — reviving ancestral eco-friendly practices while creating new forms of recycled art, eco-fashion, and climate storytelling.
Togo’s heritage reflects a deep ecological awareness and sustainable resource use:
Textiles & weaving: The kente and handwoven cotton fabrics are traditionally made with natural dyes and fibers.
Wood carving & masks: Ewe, Kabye, and other groups carve ritual masks, stools, and figures from local woods, embodying spiritual and ecological symbolism.
Pottery & claywork: Clay pots, stoves, and vessels remain staples of daily life, eco-friendly and locally produced.
Basketry & weaving: Palm leaves and grasses are used for mats, baskets, and fishing equipment.
Drumming & music: Talking drums, percussion, and balafons are crafted from gourds, wood, and skins, tying rhythm to natural cycles.
Oral traditions: Folktales and proverbs emphasize respect for land, rivers, and farming, embedding environmental values in cultural memory.
These traditions embody ancestral sustainability, forming the cultural base for eco-art innovation.
In Lomé, artists and youth collectives transform plastic waste, metal scraps, and discarded tires into sculptures, furniture, and murals. These projects address waste management while inspiring ecological consciousness.
Togolese designers are blending traditional weaving and dyeing with modern eco-fashion practices, using upcycled fabrics, organic cotton, and natural dyes to connect heritage with global slow fashion movements.
Togolese musicians and poets increasingly use their art to highlight themes of deforestation, coastal erosion, and climate resilience, turning cultural performance into ecological activism.
Grassroots theatre groups stage plays about farming, water scarcity, and environmental protection, reaching schools and villages with climate education.
Events such as Festival des Divinités Noires (Aného) and Fête des Évala (Kabye) showcase crafts, performances, and eco-culture, creating platforms where sustainability messages can be shared.
Eco-artists in Lomé – transforming plastic and scrap waste into community installations.
Textile cooperatives – reviving natural dye traditions for eco-fashion markets.
Festival des Divinités Noires – blending cultural heritage with modern sustainability dialogues.
Community craft cooperatives – weaving baskets and mats from palm fibers for fair-trade export.
Youth cultural groups – using murals and theatre to spread climate awareness.
Deforestation and soil erosion, limiting resources for crafts and farming.
Coastal erosion, threatening fishing communities and heritage sites.
Waste management gaps, especially plastic pollution in Lomé.
Limited cultural infrastructure, restricting eco-art visibility.
Eco-tourism integration: Linking eco-arts to Togo’s coastal towns, traditional festivals, and heritage landscapes.
Global eco-fashion markets: Expanding Togolese textiles into sustainable fashion networks.
Youth empowerment: Eco-art workshops in schools could strengthen creativity and climate literacy.
Regional collaboration: Togo can connect with Ghana, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire to create a West African eco-arts corridor.
In Togo, sustainability in the arts is both a revival of tradition and a tool for resilience in modern times. From handwoven textiles and carved masks to recycled murals in Lomé and climate-conscious music, artists are transforming creativity into ecological awareness. As Togo faces deforestation, waste, and coastal erosion, its arts sector stands as a cultural bridge between heritage, sustainability, and future resilience.