Comfort, conscience, and a little courage are the threads running through One a Kin. The sustainable sleepwear brand founded by Nayla Haddad was born from a chance encounter with an extraordinary fabric during a trip to Europe. Nayla set out to fill a gap that most of us never thought to question: why shouldn’t what we wear at home feel just as intentional, luxurious, and meaningful as everything else we put on? Rooted in the rhythms of Gulf culture, slow mornings, family moments, and the sanctity of home, One a Kin is designed for real life, not occasions. Bold enough to pitch her vision on Shark Tank and sharp enough to turn 40 per cent of her customers into loyal returning ones, Nayla is building more than a brand. She’s building a ritual. We sat down with her to talk about the dream behind the label and what it truly takes to create something worth coming back to.
Take us back to the beginning. What was the moment or experience that made you say, “I need to build this”?
During a trip to Europe, I came across a fabric that immediately stood out, softer than anything I had experienced before. That moment shifted everything. It made me realise how overlooked sleepwear was. What we wear at home is something we live in every day, yet it’s rarely designed with such intention. Once I experienced what the right fabric could do, it became very clear that this wasn’t something I could ignore.
How does your work reflect the community you’re rooted in, and how has that community shaped your creative or business direction?
As a UAE-based brand, One of a Kin is deeply rooted in the region, it’s in the rituals and the idea of family and home. In the Gulf region, home isn’t just a place; it’s a culture and a way of living. That shaped everything for us. We don’t design for occasions; we design for real life. For slow mornings, late nights, and family moments. Even our Zen Abaya & Thobe came from that same thinking: something culturally rooted but redefined as an everyday essential.
In a crowded space, what do you do differently as a company?
Instead of solely focusing on how things look, we focus on how they feel, physically and emotionally. The fabric, the way it sits on the body, the simplicity of the design, it’s all intentional. But more importantly, we don’t try to be everything. We stay very clear on what we stand for: softness, ease, and living better at home. That clarity is what sets us apart.
What’s the biggest challenge you have faced and how did you overcome it?
Every challenge made us stronger. Since launching in 2023, we have scaled rapidly across markets, categories, and channels. That growth is the result of staying focused and pushing forward, regardless of the obstacles. Dubai has been a key part of that journey. It is one of the most efficient hubs globally for logistics, talent, and e-commerce, and it creates the right environment for brands to scale with speed and confidence.
How do you balance staying true to your original vision while adapting to what the market or your audience needs?
We don’t chase trends. We listen, then translate. Our foundation remains constant: comfort, softness, and simplicity. What evolves is how these values are expressed.
Expanding into new categories, designs, and even markets has been a direct response to our community, driven by real feedback, real demand. We don’t pivot away from our identity; we build on it, shaping it into forms that remain culturally relevant and contextually aware.
What does support for local and independent businesses look like for you, what have you received, and what do you wish existed?
Real support goes beyond words, it’s consistency, trust, and people choosing to come back. For us, one of the strongest indicators of that support is that around 40% of our sales come from repeat customers. That’s not something you can force; it only happens when the product genuinely delivers and becomes part of someone’s routine. Of course, community and word of mouth have played a big role. People discover the brand, try it, and then return, not because of trends, but because of how it feels.
Who in your city or region is doing something you deeply respect, and why?
We respect brands and founders who stay consistent and committed to their vision. Especially those who build with intention. In this region, resilience is part of the process. Anyone creating something meaningful, while navigating all the challenges that come with it, earns our respect.
If you could change one structural thing to help entrepreneurs thrive, what would it be?
The UAE has created one of the most dynamic environments for entrepreneurs, with unmatched access to logistics, talent, and global markets. The opportunity ahead is to keep amplifying this ecosystem, enabling even more brands to scale with speed and confidence. It is not just a hub; it is a launchpad for brands to go global, and that is what makes it so powerful.
What does success look like for you in the next three years, and how do you define it beyond revenue?
Success is being part of people’s daily lives. When it’s not just something you buy, but something you return to. When it becomes your default. Growth matters, of course, but consistency, loyalty, and emotional connection matter more.
What advice would you give to someone with a dream similar to yours, too afraid to start?
Identify the opportunity with clarity, understand your audience deeply, prepare well, then commit. You’re operating in an environment built to accelerate growth. Use it to your advantage. Stay focused on your brand, stay consistent in your execution and you’ll realise that the sky is the limit.
By Lea Nouhra
