Meet Zia: Advocating for Sustainability Through Fashion

When Zia was in university back in 2013, she began buying and selling second-hand clothing. Fast forward 10 years, Zia is currently running Zia Africa, a leading clothing brand in Kenya. 

If the name is familiar to you, it might be because you have seen it featured in our 2022 Impact Report! In this article, we revisit Zia's story and explore how her brand works to promote sustainability.

Zia's Story

Zia's fashion journey started at Daystar University, where she studied Community Development. There, outside of her student schedule, she began a side hustle buying second-hand clothing from local markets and selling them to her classmates. While she was in school for a Bachelor of Arts degree, it was clear to her that fashion was her passion. Therefore, after graduating, she decided to venture into the fashion and retail industry, importing and selling clothes from Australia. However, when COVID hit, her business model was challenged. Upon reflecting on her options, Zia decided to focus on manufacturing her own pieces locally. Today, Zia Africa provides high-quality, sustainable and uniquely designed clothing for women across Africa, and has recently launched a unisex baby line!

Did you know?
www.ziaafrica.com / @ziaafrica / Zia Africa​

• Zia Africa is a #MadeinKenya brand, which means every piece is carefully crafted locally
• Zia boasts an all-female 9-person team, which is no surprise considering women empowerment is at the heart of the company's mission
• By 2025, Zia aims to be the leading platform for sustainable fashion in Africa

Steps Toward Sustainability

"We believe that fashion should not come at the cost of the planet, and we are committed to reducing our environmental impact through every step of our production process."

Social impact has always been at the core of Zia Africa, as reflected through the handcrafted clothes they produce and the hardworking women they employ. Therefore, it is not surprising that Zia has made important strides to promote sustainable fashion in recent months.

One of the main changes Zia Africa has made is shifting to using only locally grown organic fabrics, such as 100% cotton and linen. This initiative is reflected in their "Rhythm of the Soil" Collection, which features carefully designed clothing made of 100% cotton by local African women. 

Aside from this, Zia Africa ensured fair wages and working conditions for their workers, and has pledged to become a zero-waste organization.

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A post shared by ZIA (@ziafrica)

Goals For the Future

In the future, Zia hopes to train and employ 100 employees. She is also focused on expanding her brand to the rest of Africa, beyond Nairobi, as she develops more clothing lines. And in terms of sustainability, Zia's main goal is to become the leading platform for sustainable fashion in Africa by 2025. This means driving initiatives such as going zero-waste by upcycling, recycling and reusing fabrics.

How Mkono Helped Zia

Mkono worked with Zia to provide a capital boost for the purchase of new machinery and higher quality fabric. In addition, through our mentorship program, Zia collaborated with Mkono to build a financial plan for the future. More precisely, through Mkono's mentorship sessions, Zia was able to adopt and launch strategies like loyalty programs and discounts. As Zia testifies, "Mkono's mentorship sessions initially helped me think through and establish these programs."

Mkono strives to empower entrepreneurs like Zia, who have not only an economic impact, but also a social impact on their communities. Zia's story is a great reminder that fashion and sustainability can go hand in hand! So, if you are interested in investing in clothing for the summer, make sure to check out Zia Africa!

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• To help us continue supporting entrepreneurs like Zia, consider donating today.
• Explore our "Meet..." series and learn more about entrepreneurs like Simon, Justine​ and Caroline.
• To learn more about the microfinance landscape in Kenya, check out our latest Mawazo article.