In the eyes of Rukky Ladoja, waste is a terrible thing, and she prides herself on having created a Nigerian fashion brand that keeps it to an absolute minimum. This focus on the practical extends to her designs, and consumers are loving it, having catapulted her company, Dye Lab, to new heights. While Dye Lab has been branded a sustainable brand by many, Ladoja notes she is more comfortable calling herself “socially responsible,” as she didn’t set out to create a sustainable brand; she wanted to create a practical one. A brand that, instead of sourcing materials from international markets or using practices foreign to her environment, adapts local resources, styles, and skills across the entire design process. The result is practical kimono pieces that require little to no adjustment per customer, created in a way that ensures every part of the design process takes advantage of the resources — human and physical — around her with very little to no waste allowed.