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Different but Equal: an Entrepreneur from Kyiv Region Creates Eco-Friendly Adaptive Clothing for People with Disabilities and Everyone Else
According to international estimates, tens of thousands of people have lost limbs since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, celebrated on December 3, we visited a small sewing workshop in the village of Hermanivka, Kyiv region. Here, Anastasiia, the founder of the clothing brand “Zhaha,” designs and creates clothes that promote inclusivity and emphasize equality.
Hermanivka, Kyiv Region — We meet Anastasiia in her sewing workshop, a small studio where she develops her inclusive brand of functional casual clothing, “Zhaha,” for people with disabilities and the elderly: “I have always wanted to make clothes and have my own business. This idea came to me when I saw my son's pants that could easily transform into shorts. I realized how such things can serve an important social mission and make life easier for people with disabilities,” Anastasiia recalls.
Anastasiia has taken several tailoring courses and has been pursuing her dream of developing a socially important and inclusive business for three years now. Photo: Yuliia Homonets/IOM
She began her journey to social entrepreneurship during her treatment and recovery from breast cancer in 2021. With the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, her idea took on a new meaning: “I have a disability myself. And although it is not visible from the outside, the disease has affected me greatly internally. I realized that I have only one life and I need to quench my “thirst,” because there will be no other time,” Anastasia says. “Hence the name of the brand — ‘Zhaha,’ (Ukrainian word for thirst, craving, intense desire), the thirst for freedom, knowledge, adventure,” she adds.
Now, Anastasiia pioneers a culture of functional and adaptive clothing designed to address the unique needs and potential barriers faced by people with disabilities.
“The main idea is to help veterans, but at the same time, everyone else can wear these clothes too. They are eco-friendly, comfortable, and save space in your suitcase because shorts can easily turn into pants, and you always have two outfits in one.”
On the day we spoke, Ruslan, a veteran with an amputated leg and Anastasiia's good friend, came to the workshop for measurements to get new clothes: “I have several pairs of pants made by Anastasiia. I like everything: from functionality to design. They are very comfortable to wear both with and without a prosthesis. It is easy to make adjustments or clean without needing to take off or roll up the pants, which is difficult to do, especially in winter, in a car or in public places,” says Ruslan.
Anastasiia takes measurements to make new sweatpants and hoodie for Ruslan. Photo: Yuliia Homonets/IOM
For Anastasiia, it is important that clients test the clothes and become co-creators of new designs. “I met Ruslan when we went to a rehabilitation centre in Kyiv together. I always ask him and others to share their feedback on things. I want them to tell me if it’s too tight, scratchy, or uncomfortable, because each case of amputation is unique and requires a personalized approach.”
In addition to items with detachable parts, Anastasiia develops other models: “We have, for example, shirts with magnets. They are very convenient for people with fine motor skills issues or for the elderly who have difficulty with buttons and zippers. There are also clothes for bedbound people. Such clothes give confidence and independence in their daily lives.”
As part of a micro-business support project funded by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through the German Development Bank (KfW), Anastasiia received a grant from IOM, which helped her purchase fabrics and upgrade equipment in her workshop.
Anastasiia uses high-quality fabrics and various accessories to make her clothes as comfortable and functional as possible. Photo: Yuliia Homonets/IOM.
Anastasiia plans to expand her business: hire a seamstress, improve marketing, launch advertising, and start using eco-friendly hemp fabrics.
All her aspirations are united by a social mission: “Rural areas need industries, and local people need new knowledge and retraining. Now, I am looking for a seamstress and I'm even thinking of organizing courses myself: putting out an ad and inviting locals to come here for a training. I want to show people that anyone can make clothes: men, veterans, the elderly and people with disabilities.”
Anastasiia and Ruslan also plan to create a non-governmental organization that will be engaged in making their community more inclusive and barrier-free, as well as develop projects for the reintegration of veterans into civilian life.
