Maisha by Nisria is a sustainable fashion and design studio based in Gilgil, Kenya. The studio creates unique, handmade clothing from upcycled and repurposed materials, focusing on sustainable and ethical fashion. Their collections include one-of-a-kind pieces like dresses, jackets, and two-piece sets, all made by giving new life to textiles that would otherwise be discarded.
Maisha by Nisria was established in 2021 by Nur M’nasria, an accomplished TV and film producer. The studio aims to provide opportunities and skills training for young adults from marginalized communities. Maisha is the Swahili word for “Life,” reflecting the brand’s focus on giving new life to textiles and to the lives of the youth they support.
The purpose of Maisha by Nisria is to empower vulnerable individuals in Kenya by providing them with fashion and design skills through their non-profit, sustainable fashion and design studio. They use upcycled materials to create unique garments, aiming to foster economic independence for community members and promote a sustainable approach to fashion. The studio equips individuals, including youth, women, and refugees, with skills in tailoring and upcycling.
The training aims to enable participants to become independent adults and provides employment within the studio. Maisha by Nisria are committed to upcycling discarded textiles into new, high-quality fashion pieces, advocating for a circular approach to design and production.
“Throughout the years I could always recognize how vulnerable young adults received the least attention from social organisations and contributors. When it comes to clothes, they are either excluded or they would receive worn-out clothes that are not suitable to wear. Hence for a long time, I wanted to create a project where we could teach young adults how to make their clothes from waste textiles and repurpose the worn-out clothes they receive into fashionable pieces,” says Nur.
Maisha by Nisria was inspired by Nur’s grandmothers. “Growing up I could always see how they transformed curtains into dresses, towels into rugs, pillowcases into sacks, and so on. Then in 2021, my late friend Randah Taher approached me about starting a project and offered to fund and support it. She wanted to honour her late mother’s memory through a social project and suggested a couple of ideas. The up-cycled fashion project was one of them and she picked it without hesitation,” she says.
Maisha by Nisria started with one sewing machine and to date, more than 15 beneficiaries have particpated in the projects. Some of the beneficiaries have transitioned into full-time designers and tailors for their workshop, which is a testament to the transformative power of Maisha by Nisria.
Cynthia Mwangi is the co-founder and Project Manager of Maisha by Nisria. She is a passionate community builder and a creative entrepreneur. She leads Maisha by Nisria’s projects and partnerships, driving programs of the studio that empower youth and transform communities.
Cynthia elaborates on the inspiration behind their current collection.”This year, Maisha by Nisria’s crafted a collection called “Amazigh Colletion” in response to Nairobi Design Week 2025’s theme “We Are the Ancestors”. The collection was inspired by our founder’s Amazigh roots. Each piece is made from upcycled jackets and materials donated by Mr. Green Africa and rescued from landfills and markets, then reimagined in our studio,” says Cynthia.
She further indicates that the collection features embroidered Amazigh symbols, vibrant patterns, and bold seams. She says this limited-edition collection is both a tribute to the past and a statement for the future; and a celebration of care, compassion, and craft passed down through generations.
