Every Purchase Has Purpose at Sama Tayo

When it comes to apparel, Sama Tayo centers on clothing that people will be proud to wear. Owners Alex Reyes and Jeannette De Dios Reyes created their brand with purpose and impact in mind.

“We find inspiration in our daily lives as Filipino Americans, and it reflects on our apparel,” Alex said. “We initially focused on Filipino-inspired streetwear and then expanded to designer footwear from the Philippines.”

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Alex began to work remotely for his job in the Silicon Valley. With that flexibility, Jen and Alex came up with the concept of Sama Tayo in just a couple of months, and the e-commerce store launched in July 2021. From there, the brand only grew. Sama Tayo partnered with DJ Medmessiah from record label Morobeats to expand their footwear to the U.S.

“With our ongoing partnership with Morobeats, part of our proceeds feeds the hungry in the Philippines and directly supports the local weaving and artisan community,” Alex said. “We are making a significant impact in people’s livelihood while offering quality products proudly made in the Philippines.”

Sama Tayo also recently debuted their first season of slides/sandals, or Tsinelas in Tagalog. The small business owners are already thinking ahead to future seasons of footwear.

“Our slippers/slides are made with indigenous handwoven fabric from the Philippines. Each woven pattern is unique and will not be repeated,” Alex said. “Every design is a limited edition, so we are looking forward to seeing new designs in our store in the future.”

As remote work and online shopping persists as the norm, Sama Tayo continues to use their platform to share apparel with a purpose.

Here’s how you can be part of the impact:

Website: samatayojl.com
Instagram: @samatayojl
Facebook: @SamaTayoJL

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