Privacy Policy

Last Updated: February 26, 2026

The Kente Registry (“Kente Registry,” “we,” “our,” or “us“) is a documentation and certification system for authentic handwoven Kente produced by Ghanaian weavers. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect personal information when you use our website at KenteRegistry.Org and any related services (together, the “Services“).

By using the Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with it, please discontinue use of the Services.

1. Who We Are

The Kente Registry is operated by the Kente Registry organisation, accessible at KenteRegistry.Org. Our mission is to document, verify, and protect the authenticity of handwoven Kente cloth produced by Ghanaian weavers of the Ashanti and Ewe traditions, and to connect authentic weavers with buyers, institutions, and cultural stakeholders worldwide.

For the purposes of applicable data protection law, we are the data controller of the personal information described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

a) Information Provided by Weavers

When a weaver registers with the Kente Registry, whether directly online or through a community liaison officer, we collect:

Full name and community of origin
Weaving tradition (Ashanti or Ewe)
Name of master weaver or family member from whom the craft was learned (lineage information)
Pattern specialisations and descriptions of cloth produced
Description of loom and weaving setup
Contact information (which may include a phone number, email address, or community liaison contact on the weaver’s behalf)
Photographs of the weaver at work and of representative cloths
Any other information included in the Weaver Profile form

Important: Weaver profile information is intended to be made publicly visible on KenteRegistry.Org so that buyers and institutions worldwide can verify authenticity. Please see Section 4 for further details on public information.

b) Information Provided Directly by Buyers and Visitors

Verification queries: When a buyer uses the Registry to verify a cloth’s authenticity using a certificate or verification number, we log that query (including the certificate number queried and, where available, approximate location data).
Account registration: If you create a user account, we collect your name, email address, and password (stored in hashed form).
Contact and enquiry forms: Name, email address, and the content of your message when you contact us.
Purchase or commission enquiries: If you initiate a commission enquiry through the Registry, we collect details sufficient to connect you with the relevant weaver.
Newsletter sign-ups: Email address and name if you subscribe to Registry updates.

c) Information Collected Automatically

IP address, browser type, operating system, and referring URL
Pages visited, time on page, search queries made on the site, and clickstream data
Device identifiers and approximate geographic location (country or region level)
Cookies and similar tracking technologies, see Section 6

d) Information from Third Parties

Community liaison officers who submit Weaver Profile forms on behalf of weavers in Bonwire, Kpetoe, and other weaving centres
Analytics providers (aggregated or pseudonymised data about site usage)
Social media platforms, if you interact with Registry content or sign in via a social login feature

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect to:

Operate the Registry: Create and maintain weaver profiles, generate cloth certificates and verification numbers, and enable buyers to verify the authenticity of cloth.
Connect weavers and buyers: Make weaver profiles publicly discoverable so that buyers, designers, cultural institutions, and diaspora organisations can find and commission authentic Kente.
Authenticate and certify: Review registration applications, conduct or coordinate authentication visits, and issue Registry identity numbers and certification labels.
Maintain the living archive: Build and preserve a permanent record of Kente weavers, patterns, and cultural heritage for the benefit of present and future generations.
Support GI protection advocacy: Use the Registry’s database of registered weavers as evidence in support of Geographical Indication protection applications for Kente in Ghana and internationally. Individual personal details will not be shared without consent except in aggregated or anonymised form.
Communicate with you: Send transactional messages (registration confirmations, certificate issuance notifications), respond to enquiries, and, where you have opted in, send updates about Registry news, advocacy, and resources.
Improve and secure the Services: Monitor usage, diagnose technical issues, detect fraud or misuse (including attempts to register inauthentic cloth), and improve the website and Registry processes.
Comply with legal obligations: Fulfil obligations under Ghana’s Data Protection Act (Act 843, 2012) and applicable international data protection law.

Legal bases for processing (where applicable under GDPR or equivalent frameworks): performance of a contract or pre-contractual steps; our legitimate interests in operating the Registry and advancing cultural heritage protection; your consent (where required); and compliance with legal obligations.

4. Public Nature of Weaver Profiles

The core purpose of the Kente Registry is to make authentic weavers discoverable and verifiable. Accordingly, information included in a weaver’s public Registry profile, including name, community, weaving tradition, pattern specialisations, and photographs, is visible to anyone visiting KenteRegistry.Org.

Weavers (or liaison officers acting on their behalf) are encouraged to review their public profile and to contact us if they wish to update or remove any information. Contact information provided by weavers is shared only to the extent the weaver has indicated it may be used for buyer contact; private contact details are not published without explicit permission.

Cloth certificate records are also publicly verifiable by certificate number, so that buyers can confirm a cloth’s provenance. The information attached to a certificate record includes the weaver’s Registry name and identity number, the pattern description, the dimensions, and the issuance date.

5. Sharing of Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share it in the following circumstances:

With the public (weaver profiles): As described in Section 4, weaver profile information is publicly visible on the Registry website.
Service providers: Trusted third-party vendors who support the operation of the Registry, including web hosting, database management, email delivery, and analytics providers. These parties process data only on our instructions and are contractually bound to appropriate data protection standards.
Community liaison officers: Accredited liaison officers in weaving communities who assist with registration and authentication on behalf of weavers.
Government and legal authorities: The Government of Ghana, the Intellectual Property Office of Ghana (IPOG), the Ghana Standards Authority, and similar bodies, where we share Registry data in support of GI protection applications or as required by law. Such sharing will be in aggregated or anonymised form where possible.
Legal requirements: Where required by a valid court order, legal process, or governmental authority, or to protect the safety, rights, or property of the Registry, our users, or the public.
Business transfers: In the event of a merger, restructuring, or transfer of the Registry’s operations to another organisation, your information may be transferred to the successor. We will notify you of any such change.
With your consent: For any other sharing with your explicit agreement.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate and improve the Registry website. Types of cookies we use:

Strictly necessary cookies: Required for core site functions such as session management and verification lookups. These cannot be disabled.
Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use the site so we can improve it (e.g., Google Analytics or equivalent). These are enabled by default but can be disabled through our cookie consent tool.
Functionality cookies: Remember your preferences (e.g., language selection) to improve your experience.

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or any cookie consent banner displayed on the site. Disabling non-essential cookies will not prevent you from using the core verification services. For more information, see www.allaboutcookies.org.

7. International Data Transfers

The Kente Registry serves users globally, including weavers in Ghana and buyers and institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, Australia, and across the African diaspora. Your information may therefore be stored or processed in countries other than your country of residence.

Where we transfer personal data from the European Economic Area (EEA) or United Kingdom to countries not deemed to provide an adequate level of protection, we use appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent mechanisms. If you have questions about how we protect your data during international transfers, please contact us using the details in Section 12.

8. Data Retention

Because the Registry’s mission includes building a permanent archive of the Kente weaving tradition, weaver profiles and cloth certificate records are retained indefinitely as part of that living archive, unless a weaver requests deletion. We will honour deletion requests subject to any legal obligations to retain certain records and subject to the Registry’s legitimate interest in maintaining a complete historical record of the tradition.

Visitor and buyer data is retained for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy and then securely deleted or anonymised. Account information is retained for the duration of the account and for a reasonable period thereafter.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit, restricted access controls, and regular security reviews.

No digital system is completely secure. If you become aware of any unauthorised use of your information or any security vulnerability in our Services, please notify us immediately at info@kenteregistry.org.

10. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal information:

Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Correction: Request that inaccurate or outdated data be corrected. Weavers are encouraged to keep their Registry profile up to date.
Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data. For weaver profiles, we will explain any constraints arising from the archive mission.
Restriction or objection: Object to or ask us to restrict certain processing, including processing for direct marketing.
Portability: Receive a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format (where applicable).
Withdraw consent: Where we process data based on your consent, withdraw it at any time without affecting prior processing.
Opt out of marketing: Unsubscribe from Registry updates at any time by clicking “unsubscribe” in any email or contacting us at info@kenteregistry.org.
EEA / UK residents (GDPR): You have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection supervisory authority.
California residents (CCPA): You have the right to know what personal information is collected, to request deletion, and to opt out of any “sale” of personal information. We do not sell personal data.
Ghana residents: You have rights under Ghana’s Data Protection Act (Act 843, 2012), including the right to access, correct, and object to processing of your personal data.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us as set out in Section 12. We will respond within 30 days or within any shorter period required by applicable law.

11. Children’s Privacy

Our Services are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it promptly.

12. Third-Party Links and Services

Our website may link to external sites, including Ghanaian government portals, cultural institutions, weaving community websites, or diaspora organisation pages. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing personal information.

13. Ghana Data Protection Act Compliance

The Kente Registry operates in compliance with Ghana’s Data Protection Act (Act 843, 2012). We are committed to:

Collecting data only for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes and not processing it in a manner incompatible with those purposes.
Ensuring that personal data is adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary.
Keeping personal data accurate and up to date.
Maintaining appropriate security measures.
Respecting the rights of data subjects under the Act.

Complaints regarding our compliance with the Data Protection Act may be directed to the Data Protection Commission of Ghana.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we will provide more prominent notice, such as an email to registered users or a notice on the website. Your continued use of the Services after any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Kente Registry

Email: info@kenteregistry.org

Website: KenteRegistry.Org