KAYA

PRODUCTION LOCATION

• Germany (own production in Berlin-Moabit)

WORKING CONDITIONS & LIVING WAGES

KAYA produces exclusively in Germany. The entire collection is designed and manufactured by the founder herself in her own shop in Berlin-Moabit. As a result, she retains full control over the working conditions, choice of materials and quality. This in-house production minimises risks and enables a transparent, locally anchored manufacturing process.

The relationships with her suppliers – for example for zips, cords or rings – are close and built on many years of trust. The founder consciously works with a few selected partners, including a retailer who rescues remnants and deadstock of high-quality natural materials. This close contact and direct sourcing means she can dispense with external control.

Inclusion plays a central role at KAYA: the clothing is unisex and one size, deliberately designed so that it can be worn by people of different body sizes, genders and ages and shared with friends and family. Since 2023, a young collection has been added to the range, which also grows with the wearer and supports the demand for participation across all generations. KAYA thus stands for a consciously inclusive design philosophy that goes beyond classic fashion categories.

MATERIALS

• Deadstock cotton 
• Deadstock linen
• Upcycled wool
• New fibres (preferably natural fibres)
• Batik fabrics from Burkina Faso (intended for a future collection) 

KAYA mainly uses deadstock materials such as cotton and linen, which are surplus materials from the textile trade. These are considered to be more resource-efficient, as existing materials are utilised and new production and disposal are avoided. This contributes to a reduction in waste and a smaller ecological footprint.

New materials are only purchased selectively in order to maintain the upcycling proportion of around 80 %. New materials used are preferably of natural origin, which means that the use of synthetic fibres is largely avoided.

Wool is used exclusively in recycled form. The conscious decision not to use new wool reduces water consumption, avoids animal suffering and saves CO₂, especially if the reuse is regional.

The ingredients such as zips, cords and rings are sourced from German retailers with whom there is a personal relationship of trust. This allows the founder to ensure that the origin and quality meet her own standards. 

PACKAGING

• In the area of e‑commerce, KAYA relies on reused packaging, such as used cardboard boxes or shoe boxes. This practice is in line with the brand’s resource-conserving approach and significantly reduces packaging waste. New packaging materials are deliberately avoided, which further minimises the environmental footprint of deliveries.
• As KAYA is a small label, there are only limited transport routes within the supply chain. 

WATER USAGE & CHEMICALS

The high proportion of upcycled materials (approx. 80%) means that water-intensive new production is avoided. This contributes indirectly to a reduction in water consumption, especially in comparison to the conventional production of new cotton fabrics.

KAYA prefers natural fibres such as cotton and linen, does not use new wool and relies on remnants in which existing fabrics are reused. The use of recycled wool also contributes to the reduction of dyeing and finishing processes.

As KAYA mainly uses natural fibres and focuses on upcycling, the risk of microplastic emissions is presumably low – but cannot be completely ruled out with unknown fibre blends in deadstock fabrics.

In collaboration with a family in Burkina Faso, batik fabrics are used that were dyed locally in Burkina Faso. In this case, this traditional dyeing technique is carried out using chemical dyes. The project supports the family involved. A friend of the founder organises the fabric logistics. As the project is still in the start-up phase, there is currently no detailed information available on the exact dyeing process. 

CIRCULAR PRODUCT DESIGN 

KAYA predominantly uses upcycled and deadstock materials in its collections, including cotton, linen and recycled wool. A mixture of plant and synthetic fibres cannot be ruled out with unknown sources of deadstock. The recyclability of individual products may therefore be limited.

The brand offers a repair option. Customers can bring in damaged items for repair, which extends the life of the products and reduces resource consumption. This practice supports a circular approach.

Local production, natural materials and artisanal construction generally make it easier to repair products.

CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODEL

KAYA offers a repair service to extend the life of its products. The repairs are carried out directly by the founder in her own shop in Berlin-Moabit; there is no collaboration with external repair workshops.

KAYA does not offer a take-back service for worn or discarded clothing. The circular approach is primarily reflected in the avoidance of overproduction, the processing of used materials and the offer of repairs.

DISTANCE & COMPLEXITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN

• Germany (own production in the shop in Berlin-Moabit)
• Burkina Faso (batik fabrics)
• The KAYA headquarters are located in Berlin, Germany.

KAYA’s supply chain is simple, as production is carried out locally by the company itself. Only the batik fabrics come from collaborations abroad.

TRANSPORTATION

• KAYA sources the majority of its materials locally in Germany, in particular from retailers of deadstock fabrics and ingredient suppliers such as zips, cords and rings. This keeps transport routes within the regional supply chain short. Only batik fabrics from Burkina Faso are transported over longer distances. Overall, however, the supply chain remains manageable and locally focussed. 
• The label emphasises personal direct sales in the shop. If desired, the product can be shipped in a climate neutral manner.

• Recycled wool (from upcycled materials)

The exact origin of the recycled wool is not known, as it comes from deadstock sources. 

PRODUCT DESIGN

KAYA offers unisex clothing in one size for adults and, since 2023, a young collection for children and teenagers with a height of approx. 130 cm to 160 cm. 

All designs are deliberately gender-neutral and follow a casual oversize style that adapts flexibly to different body shapes. KAYA pursues an inclusive approach in which age, gender and height are not decisive criteria. The clothing is designed so that it can be shared, passed on and grown with – for example with family or friends.

SLOW FASHION PROCESSES

KAYA does not publish fixed collections each year, but works with irregular drops that develop on a project-by-project basis. The pieces are created in small series or as one-offs, depending on the time and materials available.

The brand follows a slow fashion approach and increasingly produces on demand to avoid overproduction.

TRANSPARENCY ON PRODUCT

KAYA’s product pages contain basic information such as material specifications, collection, colour, price and item number. It is also pointed out that mainly upcycled fabrics are used and that the collection is therefore limited. Care instructions are also listed, as well as stock levels.

Although the individual product pages do not contain any specific information on production, KAYA’s general website clearly communicates that all designs are made in the company’s own studio in Berlin-Moabit. This information provides customers with information about the production location of their order. 

TRANSPARENCY ON PROCESS

On its website, KAYA provides basic information about its philosophy, materials and local production in its own studio in Berlin-Moabit. The brand openly communicates that it uses around 80% upcycled fabrics and works with a small number of personally selected suppliers. However, this information is only generally accessible and not itemised for specific products.

KAYA favours personal, transparent communication, especially on site in its own shop.