This Canadian brand is a small business with less than 10 employees
The company is currently very young and still implementing its values, but in order to monitor their supply chain and make sure that ethical standards are met, it chose to keep it local and work only on Canadian land. They also have a Code of Conduct for their suppliers which includes standards regarding audit policies, social dialogue, and working conditions for all
Shaleen Ratansi is the sole founder and owner of the Aiya ayiA brand and she's provided her certificate of ownership as proof of her entrepreneurial adventure. As a female entrepreneur, she's also part of YES Montreal's ELLE-vate Pre-Accelerator 2022 Cohort
The brand is supporting communities on multiple levels. They donate a percentage of every sale to organizations dedicated to rescuing girls and women from abuse & poverty and provide them with support, education, and tools to empower them. Additionally, they source their plant leather from a local community of farmers who discard agricultural waste, thus providing them with an extra revenue stream
Stephanie is the (same) name of the two local artisans who hand-produce Aiya ayiA's accessories using innovative plant leather, and who make the brand a valuable supporter of craftsmanship
The founder's roots are from Tanzania and she identifies herself as belonging to the minor community of black+ people and still shares a certificate of full ownership of her company
By choosing to plant a tree for every purchase, and by choosing to work exclusively with plant base by-products, Aiya ayiA can be considered a valuable support to climate transition
The founder of Aiya ayiA has provided us with invoices of materials purchases to prove their commitment to creating a fully compostable packaging arrangement. They choose not to use plastics or mixed materials but only opt for plantable or compostable papers
As an effort to preserve natural ecosystems, the brand is PETA approved and fully vegan. There are no intentions of including animal-derived materials whatsoever
Because the company donates funds to both reforestation and animal protection organizations, it can be considered a precious effort to support biodiversity
The brand is newly born and has produced only one main collection in a small batch, but this is the fil-rouge intention behind Aiya ayiA. As a slow fashion brand, the goal is to keep the core collection's production inventory small and introduce the presale option for new styles
Aiya ayiA is closing the loop of their business by replicating circular ecosystems that generate local economy, revive artisanal leather manufacturing, and collaborate with industries to turn waste materials into new products, to collectively achieve zero waste. The company has a "takeback" initiative which is called Project Infinity and is part of its activities aimed at fighting unsold stock
The company puts a lot of effort into making every product timeless. Not only do they provide information regarding how to best care of your purchase, but also offer a repair service and take back system. Overall, their designs are thought to be evergreen, thus making their accessories really timeless
