Danielle Chiel

Danielle Chiel

PhD. Founder. Author. Speaker

My lifelong passions for innovation, education, and giving women a voice, have enabled me to make significant social contributions in both Australia and India.

About

I am a Founder, CEO, and academic. I currently own and operate KOCO, a knitwear company specialising in commercial hand knitting. KOCO (Knit One, Change One) engages women in rural villages in the south of Tamil Nadu, India, to produce artisan knitwear for global fashion brands.

Combined, my lifelong passions for innovation, education, and giving women a voice, have enabled me to make significant social contributions in both Australia and India.

A published author, my book KOCO – How Handknitting is Changing Lives and the Fashion Industry describes the story of KOCO’s sisterhood, which has touched the hearts of brands and consumers around the world.

My professional background as a business owner and manager, which spans three decades and as many continents, was kickstarted by my academic work, teaching, and a fundamental drive to ‘lead by example’.

People and business management are my forte, including staff, students, suppliers, business associates, and business and local communities in Australia and overseas. A born communicator, my passion for knitwear became a springboard for life as an entrepreneur and an accidental advocate for the advancement of women’s voices in rural India.

KOCO

KOCO was established in Australia by Danielle Chiel in partnership with women who live in rural villages of Tamil Nadu southern India.

What began as a solution to producing hand-knitted garments offshore is now a sisterhood of artisans and a business with the United Nations’ Global Goals for Sustainable Development entwined in our DNA. We have scaled the art of hand knitting to produce commercial quantities of garments, all entirely hand knitted.

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The Artisan Nation

We are a nation that is not bound by geography, language or culture. We are unified by passion, creativity and talent. The Artisan Nation is for-profit organisation to enable our members to be profitable themselves.

We work with women in villages to develop innovative ways of providing them with basic nutritional and medical support. From providing the fabric for artisans to craft their own masks to partnering with local food suppliers and ensuring fresh food is delivered to their doors, as well as ensuring clean drinking water is available within a reasonable walking distance; we lay the foundations for our artisans to grow and flourish.

Gallery

manufacturing process is entirely human-powered

Changing lives
mission to hand knit the world together
A born communicator
Weaving wool's magic

People Matter

Speaker

Danielle is an accomplished author, business leader and expert. She brings a wealth of experience and insight to share with your audiences, with a background in Music, startup innovation and then as the Founder & CEO of Koco Gloabl. Her speaking style is relatable, packed with stories from the trenches of business building and inspiring. 

Media

Podcast
with Dominic Monkhouse
16 April, 2019
Changing Lives One Hand-Knitted Garment at a Time
Podcast
with Samantha Riley
31 March, 2022
Building a Great Company
Culture
Podcast
with Caramel Lucas
3 March, 2021
Interview with Entrepreneur & Founder of Koco& Artisan Nation-Danielle Chiel
Podcast
with Moving Mountains
6 February, 2021
Meet Danielle Chiel, Entrepreneur and Founder of Artisan Nation
Event
with Perspectives
2 years ago
PRACTICE FROM THEIR
PERSPECTIVE
interview
with My Future Business
6 January, 2021
Interview with Danielle Chiel The Artisan Nation
Podcast
with Talent Finders
26 October, 2020
Talent Finders podcast Danielle Chiel
Podcast
with Blaise the Trail
5 December, 2020
Blaise Hunter chats with Entrepreneur Danielle Chiel
Podcast
with Talent Finders
26 October, 2020
Talent Finders podcast Danielle Chiel
Article
4 February, 2021
The Artisan Nation
Article
6 February, 2021
The Artisan Nation Empowering Female Creators From Developing Nations
Article
19 March, 2021
Social Impact Heroes: Danielle Chiel
Article
Danielle Chiel of KOCO & The Artisan Nation:
Article
Danielle Chiel
Article
Danielle Chiel Is Empowering Women In Developing Countries With The Artisan Nation

Testimonials

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Emma Hart
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Erik Doe
Get In Touch

Contact

Let’s Talk!

PO Box 502,
Woollahra  NSW 1350
Australia


+ 61 405 224 810

danielle@daniellechiel.com