Maxine Bédat and Soraya Darabi have set out to right the wrongs of the fashion industry. As co-founders of Zady, an online retailer that focuses on beautifully made products produced on a smaller scale, these two women are working to help people look stylish while feeling good about the clothes they wear. They believe that ethicality, quality, honesty and the process of production truly matter.
Maxine and Soraya were friends while attending high school together in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A decade later, they found themselves reconnecting via Facebook and grabbing coffee. The two friends ended up hitting it off immediately while sharing their passion for one area in particular, ethicality in business. During college, Maxine had created a non-profit, The Bootstrap Project, and to her surprise, Soraya had been following her vision and efforts throughout the entire process. After seeing how passionate Soraya was about ethical and sustainable business, Maxine brought her onboard as the digital advisor for her successful nonprofit. Shortly after working together they realized that at the intersection of ethicality and fashion was the opportunity to create a for-profit business. Thus, Zady was born.
Zady provides men and women with a place to shop where they can feel good about their purchases while still looking stylish. Maxine and Soraya’s desire to change the way the fashion industry functions is tied to a much larger issue known as conscious consumerism. Conscious consumerism is the idea that consumers should take into account the impact their purchases has on people and the environment. Part of being a conscious consumer is educating yourself on the story behind the products you purchase. This means finding out where the product came from, who made it and what resources were used. Maxine and Soraya believe in selling clothing with high-quality material, lower environmental impact and high labor standards. They believe there is a better way and that Zady is exactly what conscious consumers have been searching for.
With conscious leaders like Maxine and Soraya, we have no doubt that Zady will be successful. We encourage you to check them out and start taking into consideration the impact that your purchases have on people and the world around you.
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