Always on
This project successfully funded on 16th February 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
Maya Gandaia: Wear the Change
London, Greater London, United Kingdom
£3,166
raised so far
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Aim
Dance artist creating safe, sustainable fashion from organic cotton & silk that transforms twice to create infinite joy
Me and my Journey
(Click this link to hear the start of this journey) https://youtu.be/S09KFyzwZ70
This journey began with intuition about ten years ago... and the whisper just wouldn't go away... and then various things I learnt along the way... eventually I just knew I had to take action on this...
Maya Gandaia is is a clothing and lifestyle collection dedicated to promoting slow fashion, cultural storytelling and sustainable, joy-infused clothing.
My mission and vision is to make joyful, travel-friendly clothing that reflects diverse identities with a vision for the clothing designs to celebrate and embrace diverse body types, ensuring a flattering and empowering fit for people of all shapes and sizes, whilst respecting both people and the planet.
I want to directly address urgent environmental challenges in the fashion industry, including micro plastics, waste, overproduction, and pollution. My vision includes transforming our pre-loved garments into new designs and creative projects...
The Problem I couldn't ignore
(Click the link above for a 1-minute explanation on how my Dance Company guided me on this journey)
I'm a dance artist. For years, I've studied how bodies move, how fabric responds, what feels right against our skin. But I was horrified when I started researching what's actually in our clothes.
Polyester releases hormone-disrupting chemicals, while acrylic is carcinogenic. Every wash sends thousands of microplastic particles into our oceans. The UK throws away 206,456 tonnes of textiles annually, most of which end up in places like Ghana, where they can't be recycled, just piling up and causing harm...
As someone who understands fabric intimately, I knew I had to create an alternative.
The Solution: Maya Gandaia
Maya Gandaia is sustainable fashion built on a revolutionary concept: clothes that live twice.
First life: Beautiful pieces made from organic cotton and peace silk—safe, natural materials your body can trust. Designed with a dancer's understanding of movement and fit. Travel-friendly, body-inclusive, infused with chakra-inspired colour energy.
Second life: When you're done, return your piece to us. We transform it into butterfly wings for children to wear and play with: bringing joy to the next generation whilst keeping textiles out of landfills.
From your wardrobe to a child's wings. Two beautiful lives, zero waste, infinite joy.
The Collection: Maya Movement
We're launching with 8 pieces:
- 4 organic cotton designs I have created
- 4 peace silk pieces by 4 talented sustainable designers
- Plus multifunctional bags
Each piece comes with personal colour guidance, teaching you which colours support your energy and wellbeing.
Meet the team:
I am working with 4 amazing designers:
Birce Avcu is a Milan-based fashion designer and biomaterial innovator. She earned a fully government-funded dual master’s degree from Domus Academy and Regent’s University London, and her work was showcased at Fashion Graduate Italia. Alongside developing her next-generation biomaterials, she provides consultancy to brands and collaborates with designers on sustainability and innovation focused projects across Europe.
Aleksandra Jawulska
Mina Jafajul
Audrey Mae
My Vision
I'm committed to decolonising fashion—rejecting centuries of extraction and exploitation. That means:
- Fair wages for every maker
- Transparent supply chains
- Production in Portugal, with plans for the UK, Mauritius, and Mexico
- Celebrating the women who create each piece
- Body inclusivity (UK sizes 6-24 and beyond)
- 10% of profits donated to poverty relief, racial justice, ocean cleanup, and reforestation
How Your Money Helps
£3,000 Breakdown:
£1,200 - Materials & Production
Samples High-quality organic cotton and peace silk for initial samples and first small production run (20-30 pieces)
£800 - Designer Collaboration
Fair payment for 1-2 designer collaborations on peace silk pieces
£500 - Transformation Programme
Setup Materials and labour to create first butterfly wings from garments
£300 - Professional Photography
Product photography for website and marketing materials
£200 - Branding & Packaging
Sustainable packaging design, labels, and tags with butterfly logo
Why This Matters
Your body is sacred. The planet is sacred. We shouldn't have to pollute either just to get dressed.
When you back Maya Gandaia, you're not just pre-ordering clothes. You're proving that fashion can:
- Be safe instead of toxic
- Create joy instead of guilt
- Transform instead of destroying
- Connect instead of exploiting
Join me in wearing the change. Let's show the world that sustainable fashion can be colourful, sensual, joyful, and truly transformative.
She Begins has provided £1,000 of match funding
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made