Couple builds business celebrating African culture in Malaysia
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Shantarubini Kalaithasan of Malaysia and Zibai Williams Achi of Nigeria created Ankara by Sutra Trading, a business based in Kuala Lumpur that sells West African fashion and food.
Rubini first encountered Ankara and Adire fabrics, printed and dyed cotton textiles, at an African-led church in Ampang, Malaysia, and began importing clothing for herself. Seeing demand from colleagues, she started selling the garments online in 2020, eventually expanding to bazaars.
The couple’s business supports artisans in Nigeria, who make and tailor the clothing. Zibai explained that many of these craftspeople rely on this income to survive in a challenging economic climate. Rubini and Zibai married in October 2024, blending both Malaysian Indian and Nigerian traditions in their wedding celebrations. Beyond clothing, Ankara by Sutra Trading now offers African pantry staples like shea butter, black soap, and honey.
They recently tested a food stall, African Pantry, at Malaysia VegFest 9.0, selling vegan versions of Nigerian dishes such as egusi with fufu and jollof rice, and quickly sold out of food. They are now considering opening a café and have customers from Malaysia, Singapore, Algeria, Egypt, and Nigeria, including government officials who pair the African styles with local batik.
