All about the founders behind the Toronto-based self-care brand whose mission is to build a cozy community.
Chai Club & Co. is a Toronto-based loungewear brand that was established in 2020, with a mission to provide consumers with the ultimate cozy experience – all the while keeping sustainability top of mind.
Today, HOLR is sitting down to chat with the two best friends who founded the brand to learn about how they created sustainably packaged, elevated essentials that are perfect for keeping comfortable and cozy any time of day.
Meet Sepaseh Rastegar and Sara Al Salah, and welcome to Chai Club & Co.
Can you tell us about how you founded your Toronto-based brand, Chai Club?
Chai Club was born in the early days of the pandemic as a self-care brand. We were alarmed by the irreparable damage that disposable masks were causing the environment, and the simultaneous harm they were causing the sensitive skin of all the people that were now masking up to heed public health guidance.
Putting our prior plans on hold due to the pandemic, as partners with experience in business and design, we made it our mission to create high quality, comfortable, and hypoallergenic face masks that matched the aesthetic, energy, and tones that we wanted to wear every day.
From the beginning, coziness, along with being eco-conscious was our top priority. So naturally, with so much time in quarantine spent building a great cozy community, passionate about comfort as much as we are, we began to design our loungewear sets and slowly transition into The Cozywear Collective.
Talk to us about the brand ethos and how Chai Club integrates sustainability practices into its production and packaging.
Our focus was always on sustainability — taking into consideration the environmental impact of fast fashion and disposable products, it was our goal to prioritize our joint love for comfort, fashion, and the Earth. We stuck solely to local vendors, sourcing our fabrics in Toronto and employing local seamstresses from the GTA to help us bring our vision to life.
As Chai Club grows, sustainability remains an integral part of our plan, and we are lucky enough to have found manufacturers whose views align with ours. With production increasing in volume, we are actively working with our manufacturing partners to reduce our carbon footprint.
When it comes to packaging, we have come a long way and have drastically elevated our standards. Today, we are proud to announce that 100% of our packaging is eco-conscious. From compostable mailers that disintegrate in any compost bin, to wrapping our products with recyclable paper, and having it all come together with paper stickers that seal the deal. All parts of your Chai Club package are recyclable, reusable, and compostable.
What are some of the brand’s best-selling pieces we should add to cart ASAP?
Our best-selling Essential Set comes in Coffee & Cream and is comprised of:
The Eternal Top — A curve-appealing organic cotton cropped top, featuring oversized flare sleeves and a gold zipper that opens both ways.
Everyday Pant — The perfect wide-leg flare, featuring the comfort of high rise with a thick and snatched waistband.
Silky Face Mask — Our hypoallergenic satin face mask features an anti-fog nose wire, a slot for a filter, and adjustable earloops for further protection. Available in a variety of nude tones and pastel shades.
The Carry-All Tote — Our two-tone coffee & cream tote bag fits it all, with our Chai Club logo, hand-stamped in Toronto.
How does the brand successfully combine elevated fashion with comfort?
We’re all for designing everyday pieces with an elevated twist. We do this by sticking to organic fabrics and producing them in trendy, yet timeless colours. Most matching sets do not give customers the choice of purchasing different sizes in the top and bottom pieces. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, so it was very important for us to provide customers with the choice to do just that. The pieces of our Essential Set are sold separately, so shoppers can choose the sizes that will fit them best. At Chai Club, we believe that comfort is the ultimate luxury and we strive to promote this ethos in the fashion world.
Where can we shop Chai Club products?
Exclusively on www.ChaiClub.co. Make sure to sign up for our mailing list to receive an exclusive discount on your first purchase with us!
What does the future hold for Chai Club?
As a small business, we will continue to stay Earth-conscious as we grow. Our next goal is to become a fully body-conscious and size-inclusive brand by expanding our size range in all of our future collections. Although we can’t give away too much yet, follow us on instagram.com/ChaiClub.co to be amongst the first to get a sneak peek of our new collection that’s currently in the works. All we can say is: think self-care cozy wear, even comfier than ever before. Welcome to the Club — It’s time you feel cozy.
Published by HOLR Magazine.