Scanad: ZEVA Fashion’s Stain Not Shame

Raising awareness of period stigma

From senators to schoolgirls, one in every three Kenyan women has faced period shaming. The consequences of this have, at times, been as drastic as suicide.

To push forward a Bill that would provide free and unlimited feminine hygiene products to women, nominated Kenyan Senator, Gloria Orwoba, walked to the Kenyan Senate Chambers with ‘blood’ stained white trousers. The result was that the Senate gave a notice of motion on free sanitary towels to end period poverty. She was, however, thrown out of the Senate after her actions caused ‘uneasiness’ in the Chambers.

On International Women's Day, Zeva – a fashion brand in Kenya – launched Stain Not Shame, a limited collection of beautifully crafted dresses using blood-red designs placed boldly to challenge people to look at period stains differently.

Support for the campaign led to corporations and government taking immediate action.

In the first three weeks of the campaign, the designs were worn by influential Kenyans, and Kotex soon joined the campaign. The Government of Kenya announced that it would put forward a policy linking period shaming a punishable offence.

Sales from the Stain Not Shame collection saw an increase in sales for Zeva of 280%.