YALA: Sowing the seeds of success and sustainability

When Tiffany Zohara and Rachel Davis began working at YALA in 2006, they quickly became best friends. But little did they know they would eventually become co-owners of the company. In 2019, they bought YALA—known for making ultra-comfortable bamboo bedding, sleepwear, and loungewear. Their shared vision for the company fueled their success. The pair is committed to sustainability in their business and their relationships with partners and customers.

Just six months after taking the reins at YALA, Tiffany and Rachel faced challenges from COVID-19. They had to shift their business model from wholesale to direct-to consumer online sales. They refined their website and tackled social media. This pivot proved to be a hit with women shopping for comfortable clothing and bedding to ride out the pandemic at home.

The duo credits their FedEx representative with helping them through the transition. Rachel says, “The relationship with FedEx helped us learn how to compete in the new direct-to-consumer space. It streamlined our shipping and helped us find really good rates.” They primarily use FedEx® One Rate because of the predictable pricing and day-definite delivery backed by the FedEx Money-Back Guarantee, which customers love. They also depend on FedEx international freight solutions to get products from their long-term production partners in China to the U.S.

Rachel has helpful advice for other aspiring sustainable business owners. “One of the big things we learned was that sustainability, like other things, is a journey. We aren’t going to come out of the gate perfect. But we’re going to try every day to do it better.” The pair encourages other entrepreneurs to stay open to new ideas and embrace change. And when feeling overwhelmed, take a walk—it can provide a fresh perspective.

As a 2024 FedEx Small Business Grants Program recipient, YALA plans to use their grant to support their move to a larger warehouse to support their recent global expansion. This new space will help them share their products worldwide. For Tiffany and Rachel, success means abundance for everyone involved in their company—from planting the bamboo to shipping the final product. Rachel says, “We both believe in being a sustainable brand. And we also believe in sustainable capitalism.” They aim to care for everyone around them rather than funnel profits to the top. These besties prove that a business founded on caring relationships is the most sustainable of all.