Beauty, Brains, and Impact: The Twin Entrepreneurs Driving Change Across Tech, Fashion, and Philanthropy
Trailblazing entrepreneurs Shabnam and Shay Safarzadeh talk sustainable fashion and paving the way for the future of young women
With the click of a button, shoppers can flick through affordable, trendy fashion pieces to perfectly compliment their latest wardrobe refresh. Fast fashion giants make this convenience possible, offering countless items—oversized blazers, vintage looks, and even aesthetic-driven pieces–each day. This phenomenon, and the speed at which fast fashion retailers release new products, has nurtured society through some of its darkest moments. Retail therapy became a sacred ritual during the pandemic.
Behind the allure of on-trend ensembles lurks a concerning reality for girls and women in developing regions where this level of consumerism causes generational damage.
Fast fashion accounts for 10% of the world’s global carbon emissions, is the second largest industry consumer of water and generates a whopping 92 million tons of waste annually. Sweatshops, the manufacturers and distributors of fast fashion items, employ almost 29 million women and girls globally.
An industry that once opened doors for working women now plays a role in sustaining economic challenges. About 250 million children from age five to 14 work in sweatshops in developing countries. Most endure brutal conditions, being paid as little as 3 US cents per hour and working up to 16 hours a day. These practices limit women and girls’ ability to obtain an education, follow their dreams, and access the resources they need.
Trailblazing entrepreneurs Shabnam ‘Shab’ and Shay Safarzadeh are on a mission to help women and girls break free from these shackles. The Iranian-American twins are more than serial entrepreneurs. They’re descendants of strong women who fought for their right to access education and build successful careers. It’s these blessings that they pay respect to when launching Safar Global Foundation and Safar NY, a philanthropic entity dedicated to providing underserved girls with educational opportunities and a sustainable fashion line ending exploitation and environmental damage.
The Safar twins’ upward spiral into a profitable, socially impactful business career started with their mother. Her decision to leave Iran with two 5-year-old girls and immigrate to the US took courage. Shab and Shay credit their independent single mother for investing in them, understanding that America could offer greater opportunities.
Safar, the twins’ surname, means journey in Persian. With dual heritage to two culturally rich countries, Shay and Shab have learned to fuse the traditions of their past with the modernity of the future. In 2020, when the bright medical professionals launched a multi-million dollar online healthcare education company–Advanced eClinical Training–these roots resurfaced. When the twins founded another tech company, Externi, an AI-powered platform for streamlining the recruitment of healthcare talent, that same calling to give back re-emerged.
The Safar Twins have never forgotten the hardships on their path to success. If anything, they’ve used these setbacks as fuel for growth and transformation. Publications have praised the women for growing a company with zero upfront capital and WeConvention invited them to share some of their insights in Dubai. Since then, Shab and Shay have taken strides to follow an even deeper passion than healthcare. The pair’s most recent business endeavours invest in the future of our world: women and girls.
Safar Global Foundation, one piece of the twins’ growing charitable footprint, envisions a world where all girls, irrespective of their age or origin, have equitable access to quality education. The foundation helps girls transcend the limitations of their circumstances with the power of education. By collaborating with local partners, Safar Global Foundation supports girls on a lifelong journey of education, economic independence, and community development. At a November event in London, the foundation will become a co-chair for the GEANCO Foundation, which, through its partnership with David Oyelowo Leadership Scholarship for Girls, provides Nigerian girls tuition, healthcare, leadership training, and social-emotional support.
Shay Safar comments on Safar Global Foundation’s ethos: “No matter their background or country of origin, education is a right all girls deserve. It’s also something they need to invest in themselves and their community. Safar Global Foundation will break barriers to these resources, ensuring girls have the support they need to become leaders of tomorrow.”
Safar NY, a sustainable fashion brand, accelerates these efforts by addressing fast fashion’s negative impact on people and the environment. Capsule collections designed with 96% organic, recycled, and low-impact materials encourage consumers to choose ethical, long-lasting items with timeless elegance.
Shab and Shay are just a few of the women leaders at the forefront of a quiet revolution creating a more equitable world for girls. The twins’ story speaks of tradition, innovation, and collective responsibility. It also touches on the unique challenges faced by women in business and provides hope for the next generation of girls on their path to fulfilment, no matter what it may encompass.
Images Supplied