Two Salem teens launch Philanthropy Phabrics, a new clothing business to 'redefine activism'

It all started with an Instagram direct message. 

As Oregon burned during a record-breaking wildfire season, the coronavirus pandemic raged on and protests calling for racial justice following the murder of George Floyd stretched through the summer, Kundai Kapurura, 19, reached out to a fellow South Salem High School graduate about starting a business. 

She had noticed that Sophia Cobb, 19, also had posted clothing she’d made throughout 2020.

“At the start of quarantine, I started tapping into my creative side,” Cobb explained. “I bought a sewing machine and from there, I got into painting on clothing. That’s when Kundai reached out to me and we started brainstorming the business.” 

The planning and brainstorming began in August of 2020 and led to their launch of Philanthropy Phabrics, an upcycling fashion brand that takes second-hand clothing and customizes or repairs them. Their first collection debuted at a local clothing pop-up shop in January. 

“We just wanted to do some sort of collaboration,” Kapurura said. “I had a few different ideas that could be more short-term, but we both decided we wanted to do something a little more long-term.” 

Customers can donate their clothing to become a unique article featuring a design Cobb or Kapurura create using paint, embroidery or patchwork. Each brushstroke or thread can be nerve-wracking as the two are aware that making a mistake on a design will ruin the clothes. But every success means a one-of-a-kind piece of fashion encouraging sustainable fashion through the re-purposing of clothing, and it also means making an impact in the community. 

Philanthropy Phabrics donates a portion of its profits to various causes — it’s why they named their business Philanthropy Phabrics. Their motto is “redefining activism through handcrafted fashion.”

In February, in recognition of Black History Month, donations were made to the PDX Black Youth Movement. For Women’s History Month in March, their contributions went to the Women’s Foundation of Oregon. They’ve also donated to Marion-Polk Food Share and hosted an online auction to support the Foundation of Oregon. 

“We’re just trying to find a way that we can help the communities that are in need right now,” Cobb said. 

The causes are also highly personal to the two of them. 

“As women of color, we experience the very causes that we’re helping,” Kapurura explained. On Instagram, she described the events around the country that sparked global protests as a source of sadness and anger and a source of hope.

Born in Texas, Kapurura’s family moved to Salem when she was 8 years old, and she’s lived in the city ever since. Cobb is from Colombia, but she also grew up in Salem.

They describe witnessing a polarization in the city between “very liberal groups and very conservative groups” throughout the summer. With their home in national headlines, they felt the need to make a statement of their own. 

“We decided to let our voices be heard,” Kapurura said. 

The business has become an empowering outlet for the two teens. 

As Kapurura describes, clothing has always been a way to express themselves and show who they are in an outward way without having to say anything. 

“Just by what you’re wearing, you can tell your mood, and you can tell how you feel about yourself. So I think clothing was just such a perfect thing for both of us to gravitate toward,” Kapurura said. 

And while their clothing business is a recent development, their mutual desire to own a business is not.

Both of the girls were a part of the DECA chapter at South Salem High School. It’s a national organization for “emerging leaders and entrepreneurs,” as their website describes. In the 2018 school year the South Salem chapter reported 163 members.  

The organization hosts an international career development conference every year, bringing thousands of DECA students together. Part of the conference is also participating in competitive events. 

Kapurura was a two-time finalist.

Today, Kapurura lives in Eugene as a student at the University of Oregon. She’s pursuing a degree in product design and sustainable business. Cobb attended San Diego State University for a year. She’s since moved back to Salem and is taking online classes through San Diego State and through Chemeketa Community College for a bachelor’s in entrepreneurship. 

Living apart hasn't slowed them down or affected their creative process, they assure. Cobb and Kapurura are able to create clothes in their own homes and trade off who receives a customer's piece to customize and ship. Kapurura also frequently visits Salem. 

People wanting to purchase their designs can contact the business through Instagram at @philanthropyphabrics. You can also check out their designs at their shop on Depop.com, also named @philanthropyphabrics. 

The two are hoping to host more pop-up shows in the future. They also plan to host a fashion show. An original show they had planned for earlier this year was canceled but they're hoping to reschedule as soon as possible.

“We really are passionate about what we do and it’s not about the money or about fame or anything like that,” Kapurura added. “For both of us, we went in with such a pure intention of having the ability to do art and impact our community in a positive way.”

Dianne Lugo is a reporter at the Statesman Journal covering equity and social justice. Contact her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com, 503-936,4811 or on Twitter @lugo_dianne.