A small label, sewn in Mikocheni

Tushmy Abaya started because good abayas in Dar es Salaam were either imported and stiff, or made well and impossible to find twice. I wanted pieces cut for this heat — light fabric, room to move, and a length that actually falls right on a Tanzanian frame.

How the pieces are made

Everything is cut and sewn here, in runs of four to eight. I buy fabric in small lots, which is why a piece you liked may not come back in the same colour. Each garment is measured flat before it goes online, so the numbers on the product page are the numbers you will get.

There are no sizes to pick. Every piece is cut generously and listed with its own measurements — if you are unsure, send your height on WhatsApp and I will tell you how it will hang.

Buying from a small label

There is no card gateway here. You order, you get payment instructions, you send the money by mobile money or bank transfer, and I confirm on WhatsApp before anything moves. It is slower than a big store and more certain than a DM — you always have an order number and a written total.