We recently connected with Shaleen Ratansi and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Shaleen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
Coming up with an original name for your business is difficult, I didn’t choose a name at first. Instead, I started building the business identity – what problem am I solving, how will I solve it & why is it important. I made a list of values that were important to me to incorporate into the business. Along with market, competitor & audience analysis, it provided a clear direction of the brand and its identity. Detailing the company’s purpose, what it stood for, the mission and vision, allowed me to thoughtfully select a name who’s meaning embodied everything the company set out to achieve – Aiya ayiA means caregiver or caretaker.
Our mantra is creating sustainable products fuelled by a sense of purpose. We are driven by our responsibility to give back to the planet & people; creating lasting impact that generates positive change to improve life for others and for generations to come.
Our vision is inspired by Mother nature who is our muse blooming with purpose and intention. She is the source of life, creating interdependent ecosystems working in cohesive unison to nourish, grow and produce new life, resources and sustenance. Intelligently repurposing every component through a natural lifecycle generating zero waste.
Inspired by the circle of life, Aiya ayiA is consciously built using a circular economy to create renewable, sustainable, luxury products without compromising our planet, our values, and our health. We are committed to positively impacting the environment and society by replicating circular ecosystems that generate local economy, revive artisanal leather manufacturing sustainably, and collaborate with industries to turn waste materials into new products to collectively achieve zero waste.
We are investing in humanity to help empower others to ensure everyone has equal access to choice and opportunity without prejudice or bias. To thrive in a safe environment with avenues to education gaining knowledge and skills to earn a fair living wage and to be treated with dignity and respect. Generating a positive impact that inspires others to effect change that makes a difference for generations to come.
Aiya ayiA stands for life of all forms.
Shaleen, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hi, my name is Shaleen Ratansi & I am the founder of Aiya ayiA. I’ve been fortunate to have a successful career in fashion that extends over 20 years. I have worked with companies and brands in London, Paris, New York & Los Angeles, but I always knew I wanted my own brand.
In 2020, I started to think of what I wanted to create. At this time, I was learning how detrimental the fashion industry is to the planet, people and biodiversity. This became my starting point, a realization that I did not want to add to the problem. Therefore, I would create a company consciously & thoughtfully based on ethical principles that would benefit the environment and society.
As I researched different areas of fashion, I discovered how problematic & toxic animal & synthetic leathers are.
Did you know, the process to turn an animal skin into leather uses over 400 chemicals, including formaldehyde, cyanide and arsenic. The most commonly used synthetic leather is made from polyurethane (PU) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which are derived from petroleum and plastics. These materials go through various finishing processes to add color and protective coatings and use many of the same toxic chemicals as leather.
As these products end up in the landfills they break down and leak these harmful chemicals into the environment polluting our natural resources; our soil, drinking water, and our food chain impacting animals and humans, causing irreparable damage. These harmful chemicals cause cancer, reproductive and developmental problems.
To produce one cow skin leather tote bag, it requires 17,158.9 L of water (equal to 23 years of drinking water for 1 person), it produces 100.5kg of CO2 emissions (equal to the amount of CO2 emissions when driving a car 338 miles). For every 1 kg of leather, it produces 2 kg of solid waste.
To produce one PU synthetic leather tote bag, it requires 2,402.2L water usage (equal to 3.3 years of drinking water for 1 person), it produces 14.4 kg of CO2 emissions (equal to driving 50 miles).
Leather takes 50 years to decompose
PU takes 500 years to decompose
PVC never decomposes
I thought there must be a better alternative, but I quickly realized there were available options for consumers. Therefore, I decided to fill the gap and create beautiful alternative leather products that are safe & non-toxic.
Aiya ayiA is consciously built to create sustainable leather products without harming our planet, natural resources, animals, and humans from beginning to the end of life. Made entirely from natural ingredients using leftover plants, our materials are dyed using flowers, tree bark, and spices. Without any animal or synthetic materials, void of toxic chemicals, petroleum, and plastics, our plant leather is water resistant and hypo-allergenic and will not cause any allergies, intolerances, or reactions.
A purpose-driven company giving back to the planet and people. We are committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by using only carbon-neutral shipping, planting Mangrove trees with every product sold, and donating 1% of sales to rescuing girls and women from abuse & poverty, providing them with support, education, and tools to empower them to mold their own future.
Style without compromising our health, our planet, our animals, or our values.
To produce one Aiya ayiA plant leather tote bag, it requires only 12L of water, 85% of which is reused (12L is equal to 6 days of drinking water for 1 person) and it produces 3.2 kg CO2 emissions (equivalent to using less than 1.5L of petrol or driving about 12.5 miles).
Our product line includes handbags, wallets, accessories & a new home decor collection.
You can view the collection at https://www.AiyaayiA.com/ & follow us at https://www.instagram.com/Aiya_ayiA_/
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
In fashion we are taught how to design & build a collection the traditional way, using the linear method. It does not take into account the wastage created, the process & ingredients to make materials or products, the amount of natural resources used, the toxicity levels, the carbon footprint, how it affects the employees in the factories or the planet or what happens to products once they are thrown away.
As I started to build and design for Aiya ayiA, I had to unlearn the linear method, forcing a change in my mindset and learning how to design circularly. I had to take every step, process, material, ingredients, etc into consideration and the effect it would have on the planet and people including at the end of life. It was not an easy journey, but totally worth it. I have a new perspective on how I purchase, consume & replace products.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Emotional intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves The Misfit Economy by Alexa Clay & Kyra Maya Phillips
Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
Sticking points by Hayden Shaw
The Lean Start Up by Eric Ries
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.AiyaayiA.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Aiya_ayiA_/
Image Credits
Photographer: Daniel Cianfarra