ZAAF – Premium Lifestyle Brand Made in Africa
Loline sat down with Abai, the Founder of ZAAF, to hear about how an Ethiopian hand-made goods store flourished into an African premium lifestyle brand.
A revolutionary idea sparked in Ethiopia is ballooning over the African continent. ZAAF stands for the word tree in Amharic. A tree symbolizes life, growth, and prosperity across cultures. That is what the ZAAF brand echoes. Eight years running, ZAAF is not just selling high-end goods. It is also challenging people’s perception of African-made products.
Abai Schulze, the founder, was only 25 when her economics study and her life-long passion for art came in perfect harmony. She was born and raised in Ethiopia. Growing up, her mother could barely provide for her. ZAAF is a reflection of her story, Abai says. Poverty was the reason she grew up in an orphanage and was given for adoption in the US. Coming back to Ethiopia for her summer breaks, she realized that there still were thousands having to go through this tough childhood. She always wanted to take part in bettering the situation of other children.