NAWIRI

What NAWIRI does

NAWIRI is a Nairobi-based women's fashion brand founded in 2020 by Joy Obuya that designs and produces size-inclusive apparel specifically for African women's body proportions. The catalog spans approximately 67 SKUs across dresses, tops, bottoms, co-ord sets, knitwear, accessories, and a baby/kids line, with unit prices in Kenyan Shillings ranging from roughly KSh1,050 for accessories to KSh9,800 for co-ord sets. The brand operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer model combining a Shopify-hosted e-commerce storefront (nawirionline.co.ke) with a physical showroom at Ambience Mall in Nairobi's Westlands district, supported by third-party courier delivery across Nairobi and select Kenyan upcountry locations.

The core technical stack is deliberately lightweight: a Shopify e-commerce platform powers product listings, checkout, order management, and customer accounts; M-Pesa, debit/credit card, and bank transfer are accepted as payment rails; the BigIn platform is used for booking private fittings; and WhatsApp serves as a primary customer-communication channel. Production is local and small-batch — garments are made by skilled Kenyan artisans under fair working conditions, with the brand emphasizing minimized fabric waste and repurposed off-cuts.

The business generates revenue primarily through one-time sales of ready-to-wear apparel, made-to-measure and micro-customisation services (with 10-14 business day lead times and non-refundable terms), accessories, and gift cards in KSh3,000/5,000/10,000 denominations. Customer acquisition is driven by organic social media on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, supplemented by an email newsletter, content marketing through the 'We Gathered' blog, in-person curated customer experience events, and one-on-one private fitting appointments. The target customer is Kenyan women — particularly in Nairobi — who are underserved by standard global sizing, including women who are between sizes, taller, curvier, or have non-standard proportions. The brand was named Inclusive Women's Apparel Brand of the Year 2025 – East Africa by MEA Markets. NAWIRI is privately held, founder-owned, and bootstrapped, with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or institutional investment.

Name

NAWIRI

Legal name

NAWIRI

Website

https://nawirionline.co.ke

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NAWIRI is a Nairobi-based, founder-owned womenswear brand founded in 2020 that designs and locally produces size-inclusive apparel tailored for African women's body proportions, selling direct-to-consumer via Shopify e-commerce and a Westlands showroom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Apparel

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811)

SIC

Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAOAEAF

Dresses, Skirts & Tailored Apparel Cut & Sew (Suits/Formalwear)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Textiles, Apparel & Leather Manufacturing/Apparel Manufacturing (Cut & Sew)

Keywords

• Womenswear fashion
• Size-inclusive apparel
• Made-to-measure clothing
• Ready-to-wear apparel
• African women's fashion

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ready-to-Wear Apparel Sales: Standard off-the-shelf clothing items sold through e-commerce and physical showroom. Products include dresses, tops, bottoms, co-ord sets, knitwear, and accessories at various price points.
2. Made-to-Measure and Micro-Customisation: Custom-fitted garments crafted to individual measurements and specifications. These orders have individual lead times (typically 10-14 business days) and are non-refundable/non-exchangeable.
3. Accessories: Jewelry, belts, and footwear accessories sold alongside main apparel line, including earrings, bracelets, pendants, waist belts, and leather sling backs.
4. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards available in KSh3,000, KSh5,000, and KSh10,000 denominations, providing prepaid store credit for recipients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NAWIRI designs, manufactures, and sells size-inclusive women's apparel — including dresses, tops, bottoms, co-ord sets, knitwear, accessories, and a baby/kids line — produced locally in Nairobi by skilled Kenyan artisans in small batches. The brand also offers made-to-measure and micro-customisation services, plus one-on-one private fitting experiences, distributed through its Shopify-powered e-commerce site and physical showroom at Ambience Mall, Nairobi.

Product overview

NAWIRI is a Nairobi-based womenswear brand offering a portfolio of ready-to-wear clothing, made-to-measure, and micro-customisation services. The product range spans multiple categories including Dresses (AMARA, ANAYA, JIVU, SANAA, TUNU, ZURI, NALEDI, NURU, MAUA, MARA, KIJANI, SETO, NYIKA, ASHA, ARYA, ANYA, ANISA, MILANO, JANO, ATANI), Tops (AMALI, ANAYA Knit, YALA, Satin camis, PAMBA, IMARA, ZOLA, NANA, MIA, ILANI, TUNU, FAHARI sweaters), Bottoms (AMANI, ANGA, TAWI, SHANI, MALI, ATLAS, VULI, TAJI, DARI, LILA, GALIA), Co-ord sets (YALI jumpsuit, JIVU pants set, AYO Linen set), Knitwear (AMALI sweater, ANAYA Knit top, YALA knit top, FAHARI sweaters), Accessories (ANA earrings, FAHARI/WIMBI/NIRA/SOMO belts, LAINI/Roman numerals bracelets, ASHA pendant, Leather Sling backs), Baby/Kids (AMARA, MILANO, RAHA), and Gift Cards. All pieces are produced locally in Nairobi by skilled Kenyan artisans in small batches, with a focus on size-inclusive fit and timeless, versatile design. The brand also offers a private fitting experience service and operates from the NAWIRI Studio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dresses Collection A collection of size-inclusive women's dresses including skater dresses, wrap dresses, shirt dresses, midi and maxi dresses, with various prints and silhouettes. Designed for African women's bodies and proportions; some pieces available in both ready-to-wear and made-to-measure options.
• Tops Collection Women's tops including camis, shirts, blouses, knit tops, and sweaters designed with thoughtful pattern-making for fit across diverse body types. Includes structured shirting, relaxed button-downs, satin camisoles, and tailored knit tops.
• Bottoms Collection Women's bottoms including high-waisted wide-leg pants, tailored chinos, trousers, cargo pants, and tailored shorts. Designed to fit properly through waist, hips, and thighs for African women's body proportions.
• Co-ord Sets Collection Two-piece matching sets including pants sets, linen sets, and jumpsuits designed to be worn together for a complete coordinated look. Offered in a variety of prints and fabrics including cotton, linen, and crepe.
• Knitwear Collection Knit garments including V-neck sweaters with contrast stripe detailing, relaxed crewneck sweaters, sleeveless mock-neck knit tops, and fine-knit tops with ribbed hems. Crafted for fit and comfort across diverse body types.
• Accessories Collection Women's accessories including 18K earrings (rose gold or silver tear-drop designs), waist belts in leather and faux leather, bracelets with pavé and mother-of-pearl detail, rose-gold pendants, Roman numeral bracelets, and leather slingback shoes.
• Baby & Kids Collection Children's clothing including baby dresses (sizes 3m to 3y), kids wear, and pieces designed for mother-daughter matching styling. Produced with the same quality and inclusive-fit ethos as the women's line.
• NAWIRI Gift Card Digital gift cards available in KSh3,000, KSh5,000, and KSh10,000 denominations, providing prepaid store credit redeemable on the NAWIRI online store.
• Made-to-Measure Service Custom clothing service where garments are crafted specifically to individual measurements and specifications. Individual pricing is communicated at order confirmation, with typical lead times of 10–14 business days. Orders are non-refundable and non-exchangeable except in cases of production error.
• Micro-customisation Service Minor customization service for existing designs that allows adjustments to fit individual preferences while maintaining the core garment structure.
• Private Fitting Experience One-on-one private fitting experience at the NAWIRI studio for exploring fit, silhouette, and movement. The 1-hour by-appointment session includes dedicated fitting time, expert guidance on fit and proportions, fabric and design consultation, and a calm unhurried studio experience. Ideal for ordering custom or made-to-measure pieces or adjusting existing designs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Named Inclusive Women's Apparel Brand of the Year 2025 – East Africa

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationShopify powers NAWIRI's e-commerce platform, enabling the online store, product listings, shopping cart, checkout, payment processing, and order management. The platform also provides customer account functionality and supports personalized advertising features.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ASOS: Global online apparel retailer offering thousands of third-party and own-brand styles. Overlaps NAWIRI on women's apparel ecommerce, price points, and target demographic, but with vastly broader assortment and international reach.
• Universal Standard: US-based size-inclusive women's apparel brand offering extended sizing across a wide assortment. Closely comparable in size-inclusivity thesis and DTC model, but operates at much larger scale and serves a different geographic market.
• The Folklore Group: Multi-brand luxury retailer and wholesale platform for African and African-diaspora designers. Comparable in positioning African designers for global audiences; functions as a potential distribution partner or competitive marketplace for NAWIRI.
• H&M: Global mass-market apparel retailer with broad women's assortment and an expanding sustainable line (Conscious). Indirectly competes with NAWIRI for the same Nairobi/Kenyan consumer wallet, particularly on price-sensitive basics.

Direct peers

• Andrea Iyamah: Nigerian luxury womenswear brand designing contemporary African-inspired clothing for the modern African woman. Closely comparable in target customer (African women seeking premium, culturally-rooted apparel) and direct-to-consumer model, though operating in West Africa.
• Mettallion: Nigerian contemporary womenswear label offering ready-to-wear pieces for African women. Comparable positioning (premium African womenswear), similar omnichannel DTC distribution, and overlapping target customer with NAWIRI's Nairobi-based segment.

Regional players

• De Klerk: South African designer womenswear brand producing contemporary African luxury apparel. Similar premium positioning and African-women focus, but operating primarily in Southern Africa rather than East Africa.
• MaXhosa Africa: South African luxury knitwear and accessories brand rooted in African heritage design. Comparable premium DTC positioning and African-celebration narrative, though geographically focused on South Africa.

Others

• Soko Kenya: Kenyan ethical fashion marketplace and producer working with local artisan communities. Comparable in Nairobi-base, artisan/sustainability positioning, and target customer, but operates as a multi-designer platform rather than a single brand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nawirionline
• Instagraminstagram.com/nawiriwoman
• TikToktiktok.com/nawiriwoman
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nawiri

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NAWIRI