Panâh: An ethical fashion production house in Kenya

Founded by Morteza Saifi and Evgeniya Khromina, Panâh is an ethical fashion production house based in Nairobi, Kenya. The production house provides consulting, sourcing and manufacturing services for international brands as well as emerging African designers.

Panâh facilitates sustainable economic and social empowerment by providing employment opportunities to underprivileged youth and women.

“Panâh strives to achieve two goals: to produce high-quality luxury apparel through socially empowering the women and youth in Kenya and giving international designers a platform to have their designs produced with a reliable high-quality manufacturer,” says Khromina.

Sustainable and ethical fashion is a growing trend in Africa. Not only does Panâh ensure a living wage for its employees and provide a safe working environment, they also harvest rainwater for the factory and rely on lean manufacturing, which means reducing waste in manufacturing.

Notable brands the company works with includes Edun, a brand established by musician Bono and his wife Ali Hewson to promote trade with Africa; Lemlem, a brand established by supermodel Liya Kabede; and Elsa and Me, a made-to-measure brand based in New York. They’ve also worked with a few East African brands such as Adele Dejak, Katungulu Mwendwa and Mille Collines.