ZAAF

ZAAF, founded by Abai Schulze, is an artisanal brand that has been recognized globally– from the runways at New York Fashion week, to being featured in Vogue, Elle, CNN, and Forbes, receiving the UNESCO Tremplin Prize for Entrepreneurship.

ZAAF was established with the goal of creating economic empowerment for African artisans and a new perspective on global luxury. Our vision is to focus on the continent’s strengths and amazing cultural richness by designing beautiful products to the highest standards of quality. We believe this is most sustainable approach to effective economic development. ZAAF currently operates a flagship store at National Harbor, Maryland, and its showroom and proprietary manufacturing facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  Our manufacturing footprint reaches out all over the African continent, developing long-term growth opportunities and partnering with skilled artisans to scale our social impact.

ZAAF works with artisanal communities that specialize in various traditions of craftsmanship, bringing together ancient skills, combinations of unusual indigenous materials, and leading edge designs and quality standards. An essential element of Africa’s future lies in cultivating and nurturing skills that its people already possess. ZAAF’s driving mission is to create a platform for African artisanal world-class products that showcases and preserves these talents.