Who We Are
We are a fashion company with a social and eco-friendly mission. For over 8 years, we’ve been crafting high-quality bags from recycled materials, bringing a unique and bold style to Israel’s fashion industry.
Working with recycled materials allows us to handcraft each bag, resulting in a one-of-a-kind, unique piece. Every bag is made using different patterns, fabrics, and ever-changing color palettes. Thanks to our timeless designs, the bags are classic, durable, and unmatched in quality – truly like no other (for her or him).
Every bag is crafted under fair, safe, and respectful working conditions, adhering to high standards that ensure transparency and fair trade.
Since the brand's launch in 2016, three core principles have guided us every step of the way: our brand will always be social, always eco-friendly, and will always strive to do everything in its power to support as many people as possible. Whether helping women and men escape extreme situations – be it survivors of human trafficking, those trapped in the cycle of prostitution, or anyone facing hardship – our mission is to provide them with the tools to rebuild and thrive.
Be The Change You Wish To See In The World
The profits from our bags go directly to Hope Center and its parent organization, Global Act – nonprofits dedicated to providing meaningful employment for survivors of the cycle of prostitution. Since there is no private owner profiting from the brand, and all proceeds are directed toward social causes, we’ve always seen ourselves wearing two hats: as a social business driven by strong values and, at the same time, as a business that needs to be financially stable and profitable to generate income for these nonprofits.
Hope Center, based in Tel Aviv (11 Shoken St.), is a nonprofit where a dedicated team of social workers provides daily support to survivors of prostitution, helping them find meaningful employment.
The flagship project of Hope Center is a three-month course developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. Over the past year, the program has expanded significantly across the country, and we are proud to share that 115 women and men have already benefited from our rehabilitation services and training program. We believe this is just the beginning.
Our Origin Story
KitePride, operating under the nonprofit Hope Center, is a story of transformation, a connection between contrasting worlds and different life perspectives. It’s proof that often, the most beautiful things emerge specifically from our differences.
Mati and Tabea, both born in Switzerland, grew up separately within a community in Papua New Guinea, in families dedicated to contributing to society. In this vastly different environment from their homeland, they learned the value of living with a commitment to change and how meaningful actions, even on a small scale, can create positive impact in the world. These early lessons, deeply ingrained in their hearts, paved the way for the unconventional path they chose to follow.
After each returned to Switzerland and became adults, Mati and Tabea met and eventually married. Mati pursued a career as a detective in the local police force, while Tabea worked in the tourism industry. The couple had three children, and life was good – but when the seed of activism is planted in you at a young .
We Do Not Need Pity. We Need Jobs.
A chance encounter in Zurich between Tabea and a woman in prostitution led her to embark on extraordinary work supporting men and women trapped in the cycle of prostitution. Offering complementary treatments and emotional support, Tabea gained direct insight into the daily realities of those in this world. She came to deeply understand the challenges, the unwritten rules, and just how difficult it is to escape that life.
Through the conversations and friendships that developed during her sessions, Tabea realized that men and women in prostitution do not need pity; they need a stable, respectful work environment that can accommodate employees with complex post-trauma and offer optimal conditions.
This understanding inspired Mati and Tabea to establish Global Act, an initiative to raise awareness about prostitution in Switzerland. It was at this point that their vision took shape: to create a space that embraces this complexity and provides employment placement services for men and women who have survived the cycle of prostitution.
In 2016, Tabea and Mati came to Israel for a vacation and fell in love with the country. Staying at a hotel on Hayarkon Street in Tel Aviv, they wandered from the beach and back, gradually becoming aware of the state of prostitution in Israel. It was there that their activist spirit found its next mission.
They decided to stay in Israel and establish Global Act, an international nonprofit operating worldwide to raise funds and support the Israeli nonprofit Hope Center, which they also co-founded.
Hope Center initially focused on producing handcrafted furniture from recycled materials, providing a supportive and protected workspace for survivors of prostitution. In 2017, following a suggestion from a close friend, the recycled furniture workshop was closed, and the nonprofit’s mission shifted direction. Furniture was replaced with bags, and wood scraps gave way to kite fabrics – an unconventional, challenging, yet highly creative material.
Since 2017, KitePride has been producing high-quality, one-of-a-kind bags made from recycled materials, driven by a mission to create social and ecological change that reflects our core values.
All bags crafted under the KitePride brand are made from various recycled materials, primarily upcycled kite sails that have worn out, been retired, and donated by people worldwide to be repurposed as unique raw materials. Each bag is handmade and truly one-of-a-kind, based on the distinct nature and availability of the fabric.
All profits from KitePride in Israel are directed to Hope Center, which operates various projects for the vocational rehabilitation of those exiting the cycle of prostitution. The organization is led by its Israeli CEO, Adi Oz. In recent years, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs, the nonprofit has successfully run a training program enabling survivors of prostitution to re-enter the Israeli workforce. Over 100 men and women have completed our training courses in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Be'er Sheva. Remarkably, more than 50% of course graduates have integrated into the job market – a significant achievement for this unique population, many of whom suffer from symptoms of post-trauma.
Starting in 2025, KitePride expanded internationally, collaborating with social enterprises around the globe that share our social and ecological values and adhere to our meticulous production standards.
A KitePride bag is not just a one-of-a-kind, striking accessory – it’s a driver of ecological and social change. Each bag helps us support survivors of prostitution, providing them with a framework of guidance and care as they rebuild their lives. At the same time, it reduces waste by giving retired kites a second life, turning them into something meaningful and impactful.
Owning a KitePride bag means stepping into a different kind of story within the local fashion world. It’s a story that brings together contrasts – Switzerland and Papua New Guinea, fashion and prostitution, handcrafted design and a social-ecological mission. The bold colors, diverse patterns, and our unique aesthetic are a testament to how opposites can come together to create harmony and beauty.
Isn’t it time for something new? (Check out our collection)
