Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY
LOUNGE / FEATURES
April 8, 2022

Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY

CLOUDY

Interview with Hayato Douya, Representative Director of DOYA Inc. and Representative of NPO Dooooooooo

It was still a chilly morning in early spring when I visited "CLOUDY," an apparel brand located in RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK in Shibuya, Tokyo. Yet, in stark contrast to the gray sky that day, one corner of the "CLOUDY" store was already vibrant, as if welcoming spring. The brand offers items made with African textiles, and their vibrant, life-affirming colors are enough to soothe a huddled body and mind.

Photographs by OHTAKI Kaku | Text by KOIZUMI Yoko | Edit by TSUCHIDA Takashi

A Hybrid of "Corporation" and "NPO"

"CLOUDY" is not only an apparel brand of DOYA Inc., but it also fulfills two other roles: creating employment in Ghana and Kenya, and allocating a portion of its sales to support the activities of the certified non-profit organization (NPO) "Doooooooo." This NPO primarily focuses on supporting education, employment, and health in Africa, as well as addressing environmental issues.
The person who concurrently serves as "Representative Director of DOYA Inc." and "Representative of NPO Dooooooooo" is Hayato Douya. Douya founded "Doooooooo" in 2010 while working as a company employee, and "CLOUDY" in 2015 after leaving his job.
Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY
Hayato Douya
Representative Director of DOYA Inc., Representative of NPO Dooooooooo
Born in Tokyo. After graduating from Keio University with a degree in Economics in 2008, he joined Goldman Sachs Japan Ltd. In 2010, he founded the NPO
Doooooooo. He left the securities firm in 2015 and founded DOYA Inc. the following year. In September of the same year, he established the apparel brand CLOUDY.
WEBhttp://cloudy-tokyo.com/
Douya's vision was as follows:
• Create the apparel brand "CLOUDY" using African textiles.
• Reinvest a portion of "CLOUDY's" sales into the NPO to support various activities in Africa.
• Establish "CLOUDY's" own factory to create employment, primarily for local women and people with disabilities.
• Build schools where children can learn a trade and envision their future possibilities.
To establish this circular business model, he created a composite organization that operates as a hybrid, with both an NPO and a corporation existing together to secure continuous funding for activities. Both factories and schools have already been established.
While "CLOUDY" was created to solve problems faced by African society, there are no photos or text in the store that directly evoke these issues. This is because Douya wants the brand to "compete as an apparel brand."
"The primary prerequisite is that the products must be appealing to customers. I want to create a situation where people can appreciate the items without any preconceptions. By generating sustainable sales, this brand's value is realized, which in turn leads to continuous support for our activities in Africa."
Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY
The brand tags are marked with numbers such as 10, 7, 5, and 3. These indicate how the purchase price is used for various activities. "For example, '10' means '10% of profits are used for school construction.' The specific activity—whether it's providing school lunches, sanitary products, or employment support—varies with the number. We include these numbers so that customers can feel the impact of their support."
Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY
The brand tags are marked with numbers such as 10, 7, 5, and 3. These indicate how the purchase price is used for various activities. "For example, '10' means '10% of profits are used for school construction.' The specific activity—whether it's providing school lunches, sanitary products, or employment support—varies with the number. We include these numbers so that customers can feel the impact of their support."
Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY
In October 2010, the NPO "Doooooooo" was established. Focusing on "education, employment, and health," it currently operates two schools in Kenya and two in Ghana. It also runs its own sewing and basket production factories, actively employing local women, people with disabilities, and young people. The NPO conducts sex education classes, distributes sanitary pads, and runs lunch programs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also implemented the "BEAT THE COVID-19 PROJECT," providing food aid to 100,000 people.
Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY
In October 2010, the NPO "Doooooooo" was established. Focusing on "education, employment, and health," it currently operates two schools in Kenya and two in Ghana. It also runs its own sewing and basket production factories, actively employing local women, people with disabilities, and young people. The NPO conducts sex education classes, distributes sanitary pads, and runs lunch programs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also implemented the "BEAT THE COVID-19 PROJECT," providing food aid to 100,000 people.
Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY
In October 2010, the NPO "Doooooooo" was established. Focusing on "education, employment, and health," it currently operates two schools in Kenya and two in Ghana. It also runs its own sewing and basket production factories, actively employing local women, people with disabilities, and young people. The NPO conducts sex education classes, distributes sanitary pads, and runs lunch programs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also implemented the "BEAT THE COVID-19 PROJECT," providing food aid to 100,000 people.
Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY
In October 2010, the NPO "Doooooooo" was established. Focusing on "education, employment, and health," it currently operates two schools in Kenya and two in Ghana. It also runs its own sewing and basket production factories, actively employing local women, people with disabilities, and young people. The NPO conducts sex education classes, distributes sanitary pads, and runs lunch programs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also implemented the "BEAT THE COVID-19 PROJECT," providing food aid to 100,000 people.
Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY
In October 2010, the NPO "Doooooooo" was established. Focusing on "education, employment, and health," it currently operates two schools in Kenya and two in Ghana. It also runs its own sewing and basket production factories, actively employing local women, people with disabilities, and young people. The NPO conducts sex education classes, distributes sanitary pads, and runs lunch programs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also implemented the "BEAT THE COVID-19 PROJECT," providing food aid to 100,000 people.
Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY
In October 2010, the NPO "Doooooooo" was established. Focusing on "education, employment, and health," it currently operates two schools in Kenya and two in Ghana. It also runs its own sewing and basket production factories, actively employing local women, people with disabilities, and young people. The NPO conducts sex education classes, distributes sanitary pads, and runs lunch programs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also implemented the "BEAT THE COVID-19 PROJECT," providing food aid to 100,000 people.
Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY
In October 2010, the NPO "Doooooooo" was established. Focusing on "education, employment, and health," it currently operates two schools in Kenya and two in Ghana. It also runs its own sewing and basket production factories, actively employing local women, people with disabilities, and young people. The NPO conducts sex education classes, distributes sanitary pads, and runs lunch programs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also implemented the "BEAT THE COVID-19 PROJECT," providing food aid to 100,000 people.

Creating Employment Opportunities for Women in Ghana

"In Ghana, women face difficulties in securing employment. I believe society still imposes certain disparities on women. They are not respected as human beings. Furthermore, women are overwhelmingly more likely to be unable to attend school. Increasing employment opportunities is also crucial for creating an environment where their children can receive continuous education."
Since 2020, local designers have been employed. Currently, five designers create 30 to 50 new original CLOUDY textile patterns each month. Their sewing skills have improved, enabling them to produce more complex items. However, Douya notes with a wry smile that there are also unintended consequences.
"Sometimes they get creative and add their son's initials, resulting in something completely unmarketable."
However, these creative endeavors are a testament to their motivation. Douya believes that "this spirit is proof of the employees' growth." Nevertheless, the closer he gets to them and the more he trusts them, the more unexpected things happen, he sighs. In the past, employees even sold the sewing machines from the factory to buy food for the day.
"The sewing machine incident was tough (laughs). But when I think from their perspective, if I had hungry children and no one to rely on, I would probably sell the sewing machine too. We cannot judge their actions by Japanese standards of right and wrong or by our values."
Douya explains that similar situations occur in Japan as well.
"People are often categorized with terms like 'generation gap' or 'yutori education,' leading to conclusions like 'that's why we don't see eye to eye.' But did they even try to talk first? Did they communicate properly? I think that's the issue. What I experienced in Africa was exactly the same."
Stylish Living and Sustainable African Support, Elegantly Solved | CLOUDY
Dyeing with chemicals not only uses a large amount of water but also creates problematic wastewater. Therefore, "CLOUDY" uses waterless dyeing for its T-shirts and sweatshirts. The nylon for the outer fabric of the MA-1 jacket shown is made from recycled materials derived from plastic bottles. The lining features an original pattern by a textile designer. The pattern on the jacket Douya is wearing is inspired by the traditional basket weaving techniques from Bolgatanga in northern Ghana and symbolizes connection.

To Those Who Are About to "Take Action Now"

Is there anything Douya would like to convey to those who are about to "take action now"?
"Amidst the overwhelming amount of information, successful people tend to be the focus. However, the process is often romanticized, and success stories seem exaggerated. The more I encounter such narratives, the more I feel that it's becoming a world where it's difficult to take that initial step. But once you start something, something unexpected will happen. And from that unexpected event, the next step will unfold. So, I don't know if this counts as advice, but I'd say, 'Before you think, just do it.'"
"Also, 'don't blame others.' With the constant flow of information from social media and other anonymous sources, I believe more people are becoming irresponsible with their words. They quickly make excuses like, 'So-and-so said this,' or 'It was written on the website.' Instead, it's important to reach your own conclusions with your own mind. That's what I believe."
Contact

CLOUDY
Tel.03-6450-5110
https://cloudy-tokyo.com/

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