The Zenaya Philosophy
Breaking up with fast fashion, trends and consumerism, Zenaya moves towards appreciating theart of things crafted by hand locally, sustainably and ethically, all with earth in mind. Over thepast year I have put much thought and consideration into sourcing and creating our products,considering their full life cycle from start to finish. After all, there is no such thing as "to throw away”.
Fabrics
The beautiful drape of silks, the comfort of cotton knit and the nostalgia of crochet. The timeless style of linen, the luxury of hemp and the innovation of plant viscose derived from sustainably harvested wood pulp. Avoiding synthetic rayon and polyester fabrics that are made from plastic and can take 200 years to decompose, instead selecting fabrics that feel beautiful on the skin and tread lightly. Where possible we use organic fibres due to most conventional fibres being sprayed with chemical laden pesticides & fertilisers which harm the bio diversity of our soils and the air in which we breathe.
Fabric Dyes
We refrain from using synthetic chemical dyes that end up washing into our oceans and harming marine life, and instead choose to use natural plant dyes with no nasty toxins. Dyeing with plants, herbs, florals, spices, barks, and even fruits & vegetables is a time consuming process, often taking between 2-3 weeks, but a decision we choose to make for the health of our ecosystems.
Ingredients
The average woman applies 168 chemicals to her body before she leaves the house each morning. Our skin is our largest organ and absorbs 90% of what we put on it. All of our skincare and wellness products are made using the highest quality organic ingredients. We believe in simplicity, seed to skin. Health is our greatest wealth.
Creators
The majority of our pieces are made by hand here in Sydney, or elsewhere within NSW. By sourcing locally, not only are we supporting a neighbour’s dream and small business, but we are also reducing carbon emissions associated with shipping.
On the occasion that clothing is unable to be sourced here in Australia, it is made in small villages in Bali. Always with family run businesses who create on a small scale production line, as opposed to mass production. Our artisans work in healthy and happy environments and feel a sense of purpose in being able to provide for their families. Our creators near and far have become friends. We are in close contact with them, and get to experience the making process first hand which we love sharing with you on our Instagram stories.
Packaging
Protecting the ocean has always been at the core of my being. I recently heard a devastating statistic: The total mass of plastic in the ocean now exceeds the total mass of all living mammals (including humans and whales).
With this in mind, all of our packaging is plastic free and as earth friendly as possible. Orders are wrapped in either raw, uncoated brown paper, or tissue paper made from recycled materials. Everything down to label stickers and sticky tape has been taken into account. Your orders are shipped in home compostable satchels made from rice and corn starch.
By no means are we perfect, but there is beauty in imperfection whilst on the journeyto better our practices and innovate to find better solutions. As a small business we hope tocreate a ripple effect and inspire individuals and other small businesses to do better too.Thank you for being part of the change we all hope to see in the world. Your decision to shop as a consciousconsumer quite literally shapes our future.