Nayla Haddad still remembers the exact moment the idea for One of a Kin took root. “I unzipped my suitcase after a family trip to Europe and felt this fabric that was unlike anything I’d ever touched,” she recalls. “It was so soft it actually improved my sleep.” Back home in the UAE, she searched the market and found nothing that matched the quality she’d experienced abroad—so she set out to create it herself. That suitcase swatch became the first sample, and an entire family-focused sleepwear label was born.
One of a Kin’s core range is cut from Reduced Carbon Zero Tencel™ fibres, a nod to the UAE’s 2050 net-zero roadmap. “Sustainability isn’t a side value—it’s woven into everything,” says the founder. The modal-micro blend slashes carbon emissions and water use by at least half, giving customers a guilt-free excuse to sink into bed (or brunch) in silky pyjamas.
Speaking of brunch, pieces designed for the bedroom have naturally crept onto city streets, prized for their comfort and effortless, street-ready appeal. “We spend hours perfecting details with our designer, but never at the expense of sleep performance,” she explains. Balancing elegance and function, her silhouettes glide from Netflix binge-sessions to neighbourhood cafés without missing a beat. And if you’re curious about her current colour crush, she teases two unreleased shades from the forthcoming Summer ’25 collection: “One has ‘mint’ in its name, the other ‘blush.’ They look exactly like twilight on a perfect summer day.”
Production scraps are transformed into baby comforters—dubbed Sleep Buddies—sold in partnership with Dubai Cares. “Parents realise they’re gifting comfort to their child and creating educational opportunities for another,” Haddad says. “That ripple effect keeps us going when logistics get messy.”
Juggling a fast-growing label with single motherhood might sound like an Olympic sport, but she credits UAE-based entrepreneur networks—and maternal multitasking—for keeping her grounded. “Motherhood taught me to manage chaos with clarity. That’s become my superpower in business.”
Where does she see “sustainable luxury” heading? Not necessarily into louder logos, but into pieces with emotional longevity. “We’re exploring biodegradable trims and closed-loop production, yes,” she confirms. “But true luxury will be about items you keep, pass down, and connect with—sleepwear that carries your story, not just ours.”
Five years in, One of a Kin has grown from a single suitcase swatch to a beloved regional brand that stitches comfort, conscience, and community into every piece.
Read the full interview below:
Your mission began with a single suitcase of ultra-soft fabrics from a family trip to Europe. What was missing from the sleepwear aisle then—and how did that moment spark the blueprint for One of a Kin?
It started with a personal discovery. While traveling in Europe, I came across an incredibly soft fabric unlike anything I had ever felt. After testing it, I realized it noticeably improved sleep quality, and I immediately wanted to share it with the people I care most about: my children. But when I looked for similar sleepwear options in the region, I found a gap, nothing matched the quality, comfort, and softness I had sought after. That moment became the blueprint for One of a Kin: sleepwear that elevates comfort for the whole family.
One of a Kin leans on Reduced Carbon Zero fibres to echo the UAE’s 2050 net-zero vision. Why do you think that is important today?
Sustainability isn’t just a value, it’s embedded in every part of our brand. As a mother building a brand for families, caring for the future is second nature. Which is why we picked Tencel™ fibers; a pioneer in sustainable fabrics. Producing the Modal x Micro fiber with atleast 50% carbon emission and water consumption* is only a couple of Climate Actions they are taking amongst several others. This is our way of protecting what comes for generations to come. Being a brand that is proudly from the UAE, we’re proud to align with the country’s vision for 2050, nothing honors us more than to be part of the driving force to meet the UAE’s vision and goals.
Which colourway from your latest drop is living on your bedside chair right now, and what mood inspired that palette?
This might be a spoiler, but I’m too excited not to share. Right now, I’ve got two unreleased colors on my bedside chair from our upcoming Summer 2025 collection. Inspired by the soft, glowing light of twilight on a perfect summer day, they’re the freshest hues we’ve ever done. One has “mint” in its name, the other includes “blush.” That’s all I’ll say for now, but they’re coming soon, stay tuned!
Left-over fabric becomes baby comforters for Dubai Cares. Can you share the moment a parent or child’s reaction made every logistics headache worth it?
What makes it all worth it is knowing that each Sleep Buddy purchase directly supports Dubai Cares in providing access to education. The magic happens when a parent buys one and realizes they’re not just gifting comfort to their child, they’re also creating opportunities for another. It’s a beautiful ripple effect: joy in one home today, a brighter future in another tomorrow. That impact keeps us going.
Sleepwear is drifting outside the bedroom and into brunch culture. How do you design sets that feel lounge-ready yet still earn their place on city streets?
We are serious about wellness through sleep. Which is why every decision we make for our sleepwear is set to put the sleep experience front and center, not just for fashion. While we spend hours on end with our fashion designer to bring out the most elegant design with fine details, we ensure it doesn’t happen at the expense of a lower performing product for their sleep.
As a Lebanese single mother running a UAE start-up, what local resources or communities have been most instrumental in balancing scale-up pressure with family life?
The UAE is an incredible place to build a business. The support for entrepreneurs, especially women, is real, and I’ve been fortunate to be part of communities that spotlight and uplift homegrown brands. That said, what’s helped me most is something personal: the ability to multitask with precision and persistence. Motherhood taught me how to manage chaos with clarity, and that’s been my superpower in growing this brand.
Looking five years ahead, what does “sustainable luxury” mean to One of a Kin—biodegradable buttons, water-free dyeing, or something we have not heard of yet?
Sustainable luxury will be about emotional longevity, how long something stays meaningful, not just how long it lasts. Yes, we are exploring innovations like biodegradable trims and closed-loop production. But at the heart of it, our vision is to create pieces you do not want to part with. Pieces you pass down, not throw out. Sleepwear that tells your story, not just one of a brand. That is where luxury is heading, not louder, but deeper.
