Mindful of theculture value
culture value
that shapes
identity and continues
to influence us.
Our Manifesto
At AYÉYA, we are dedicated to creating a virtuous cycle where our business success aligns with a positive impact on the world. We believe that everyone deserves a better quality of life and empower individuals and communities to make choices that promote global well-being. A life in balance is built on reciprocity.
Central to our mission is the understanding that by advancing societal well-being, we unlock each person's potential to thrive within our shared global community. A balanced life begins with opportunities for individuals to flourish.
Each of our legacy products symbolizes a lifestyle that nurtures ourselves, our homes, and the planet. Our approach starts with a commitment to the origin of our ingredients, their transformation, and the habits they inspire. Daily rituals foster a life in balance.
We honor our roots and take pride in our cultural heritage, leveraging our history to create a future where peace and opportunity thrive. We LOVE empowering the diverse cultures within our network and are inspired by the uniqueness of every individual in our global community. A life in balance begins with local action and global thinking.
At AYÉYA, we are reimagining what a beauty and lifestyle brand can be. A life in balance means preserving and nurturing the delicate connections of life on Earth through daily care rituals.
Welcome to AYÉYA.
Our Value Proposition Triad
Proud of our allies, to ensure the fulfillment of our mission.
Social Impact
Our vertical integration from producer to consumer ensures full transparency and respect for traditions, allowing us to reinvest in initiatives like access to clean water and domestic violence prevention.
Functional Formulas
Our thoughtfully designed, high-quality concentrated formulas provide a positive and unique consumer experience.
Minimal Environmental Impact
We use responsible packaging that encourages refilling, reusing, and recycling, along with multi-use and waterless formulas to reduce our environmental footprint.
Promoting Climate Resilience through Ingredient Choice
The more value placed on shea, the more communities will protect the trees.
AYÉYA’s soap-based formulas contain a minimum of 50% shea content (dry weight), an amount not found elsewhere in the market. Shea trees make up 70–90% of mature trees in large farmed areas and 20% in natural woodlands (JLG Wong and JB Hall, Encyclopedia of Forest Sciences, 2004).
Shea butter is crucial for the resilience of West African communities and ecosystems facing climate change. Shea trees are keystone species in "Non-Timber Forest Product" ecosystems and are often the last large trees in farmed landscapes. These trees are vital for combating desertification, maintaining soil fertility and biodiversity, and stabilizing rainfall patterns essential for dryland farmers.
Reducing carbon impact by traditional processing
AYÉYA supports traditional Shea Butter processing in the region and produces Black Soap using traditional methods.
All shea kernels are sourced from West and Central Africa, but only 50% are processed locally into shea butter or oil for regional use; the remaining 50% are exported for processing in Europe and Asia. Of the annual harvest, 45% is sold to ten multinational companies that refine the kernels into shea stearin for cosmetics and other products.
Transporting shea kernels involves long journeys and significant carbon emissions. With shea kernels containing about 30% oil by weight, 70% of a container's weight consists of waste material. Exports of shea kernels increased from approximately 50,000 metric tons in 2020 to between 300,000 and 350,000 metric tons in 2021.
Processing within West Africa saves 70% of carbon-based fuel.
Community Investment to lower climate impact
These programs are implemented in the regions where our West African suppliers live and operate:
Tree Planting: Strengthening the “green wall” of the dryland savanna, which protects against the encroaching deserts of North Africa and serves as a critical carbon sink for mitigating climate change.
Renewable Energy: Installing solar and other climate-friendly energy sources at supplier production centers and warehouses.
Storage Solutions: Constructing centrally located warehouses for shea nut storage and a new shea production facility in northern Ghana to reduce transport distances.
Reduced use plastic
We want to ensure that every choice we make makes a positive contribution to the environment.
AYÉYA uses responsible packaging that encourages consumers to refill, reuse, and recycle, helping to maintain life in balance.
In our quest for plastic-free packaging, we explore various sustainable alternatives. One of our primary choices is aluminum, a 100% recyclable material that can be reused indefinitely without losing its properties, making it ideal for preserving our products. Remarkably, 75% of all aluminum ever produced in the USA is still in use today. Recycling aluminum not only supports sustainability but also saves 95% of the energy required for its initial extraction.
We strive to ensure that every choice we make positively contributes to the environment.
A climate-forward brand with 4 approaches
1. Ingredient Choice
We use crops that promote ecological sustainability and climate resilience in regions most affected by global warming.
2. Local Processing
By processing ingredients where they are grown, we significantly reduce shipping needs.
3. Investing in Climate Impact Reduction
Our community programs in West African supplier zones help offset unavoidable carbon emissions by planting trees, installing alternative energy sources, and building centrally located warehouses.
4. Less Packaging and Plastics
Our concentrated formulas minimize packaging to just one recyclable material, resulting in smaller, lighter products that are easier to ship.
Who We Are
AYÉYA means "life in balance," and was born out of a desire to empower. Our deep connectivity and roots within West African communities allow us to provide meaningful employment while adding value to the local economies by sourcing local ingredients and materials, preserving cultural knowledge, and bringing joy to life through beautiful and ethically crafted goods.
Our
DNA
Bold Creative
We are trailblazers who use creativity to express our diverse worldview and drive progress in our communities.
Caretaker
We believe in a world where a high quality of life is attainable for everyone.
Empowered
We empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions and take responsibility, fostering global well-being.
Honor
We reconnect with our roots, embracing our identity and culture to create a better future of coexistence and peace.
Inspire
We cultivate a cycle of gratitude and transformation, sharing our vision for collective growth.
Diverse
We recognize that different perspectives enrich cultures and communities, creating new identities.
