ABW Fashion Blog | Sponsor Feature: Zudo
Q) What does your company do? How has your journey been thus far?
ZUDO offers simple, yet meaningful jewelry that reflects our South Asian culture and Islamic faith. We design pieces that also support worthy causes. ZUDO is dedicated to breaking the silence on mental health and sexual violence through raising awareness and fueling cultural change.
We launched ZUDO in June 2018 and since then, we’ve had the honor of adding thousands of people to our ever-growing family. We are learning and growing each day and are super excited for this year :)
Q) What inspired you? What is your “why”?
In the spring of 2018, I set out to find the perfect engagement present for my then fiance, now wife, Zuni. I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find anything that really fit what she wanted - something meaningful that she could wear everyday. Pakistani jewelry is gorgeous, but often worn with bridal dresses. Minimalistic Islamic jewelry can be hard to find. And don’t get me started on trying to find a necklace with her name...
Instead of giving up, I decided to take matters into my own hands and designed jewelry that I knew would be perfect for her… and in the process just ended up making an entire line of personalized & culturally inspired pieces. I realized others might like these too, and that’s how ZUDO came to be!
Zuni is getting her PhD in health and social psychology - she focuses on studying sexual violence and mental health in our communities. We often had discussions about her research and how these issues are prevalent but often ignored. We realized we could help make a difference by making it ZUDO’s mission to help raise awareness through education and build a safer, more inclusive community.
Q) What differentiates you from your competitors? What are some challenges that your consumers are facing right now and that you can help with?
Wearing a ZUDO piece symbolizes a commitment to being an agent of change for a better community. We hope that everyone’s ZUDO piece reminds them to be a kinder person to themself and to those around them. Approach life with gratitude; love and accept everyone for who they are, unconditionally.
Many people in our communities suffer in silence with mental health issues and trauma. We hope that together, we can create a community free from judgement and suffering. A community that strives to create a sense of belongingness, fosters positivity, and encourages everyone to treat each other with compassion, because we never know the pain and struggles they experience.
Alongside our mission, our #1 priority is customer experience and offering our ZUDO fam the best service, product and experience possible! We listen to our family and take suggestions to heart. Many of our newest pieces have been designed after receiving ideas and feedback from ZUDO customers. We hope to continue with this approach so that we can keep creating jewelry for you, inspired BY you.
Q) How was your experience collaborating with ABW? How else do you practice charity?
Super honored that Mariam reached out to ZUDO for a collaboration! We believe in supporting members of our communities, especially those passionate about making a difference. Our experience has been nothing but amazing!
At ZUDO, we partner with various organization to raise awareness on mental health & sexual violence in minority communities. With each package, we send home information that may shed some light on these important issues to help educate our community, giving our ZUDO fam tools to become agents of change.
Q) What is your current favorite accessory from your line?
Ibraheem: My favorite accessory is our Ayatul kursi necklace - not only because of the significance this verse holds in my life, but also the attention to detail and time (9+ months) that we put into this piece.
Zuni: My favorite ZUDO piece is our star moon ring - it’s inspired by our Pakistani heritage and is so cute and dainty! I love the little gems that allow it to give it that extra sparkle, and that it is also adjustable so I can wear it on any finger for any occasion. We’re planning to release necklaces and bracelets to match this design!
