2025.07.16WED
2025.06.06
Social Contribution for a "Sustainable" Society Starting from Ethnic Patterned Bags: What Is the African Dream Sought by "CLOUDY"?
In recent years, more and more brands are engaging in the realization of "sustainable fashion" by using eco-friendly materials and promoting fair trade. Among them, CLOUDY stands out as a unique presence.
CLOUDY is an apparel brand proposing its own take on the African style, centered on African ethnic patterns and traditional textiles. At its core lies a strong will to solve poverty issues in Africa. Manufacturing is not an objective, but merely a “means” to generate funds for that purpose.
What exactly is CLOUDY aiming for? Why Africa? We spoke with the founder, Yuto Doya.
PROFILE
Yuto Doya
President & CEO, DOYA Co., Ltd.
Executive Director, NPO CLOUDY
Born in Tokyo in 1985. After graduating from Keio University, he worked at Goldman Sachs and, while working there, established an NPO in 2010. He left the company in 2015 to found DOYA Co., Ltd. that same year. Through both CLOUDY and NPO activities, he works to promote education and generate employment in Africa.
The Origin of Our Activities: Not "For," But "With" the People of Africa
CLOUDY sprouted from African soil."I traveled solo to Africa for my graduation trip during university. While staying there, I visited Kibera, a slum area in Kenya, and witnessed overwhelming sights.
The residents lived in a setting where there were no hospitals, and even toilets were extremely scarce—one for every 200 households. Human waste is packed into bags and thrown out of the window.
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