Growing up an avid basketball player, Muna Mohamed grew frustrated with not seeing young Muslim girls like herself also playing the sport.
She discovered that clothing design plays a major role in physical activity, and later used this understanding to participate in research projects to create inclusive activewear and uniforms for East African girls.
That research helped underpin what would become Mohamed's Minneapolis-based startup, now known as Kalsoni. The company offers modest activewear for women and girls, like mid-length and full-length tunics, sport shawls and sport hijabs.
Now, she’s landed a deal with outdoor retailer Recreational Equipment Inc. to offer her clothing line in REI's Bloomington and Roseville stores. Kalsoni held a soft launch last weekend at the Bloomington store.
The partnership is "a big accomplishment for myself," Mohamed said, adding that now more people will be exposed to her products and potential customers will be able to try on the clothing.
Initially called Modest & Active, Mohamed’s startup was later rebranded to Kalsoni, a Somali word for confidence, the CEO said. Prior to the name change, the startup had placed fourth in a student division of the Minnesota Cup and participated in Target Corp.’s incubator program in 2020.
Mohamed later landed a spot in REI’s Path Ahead Ventures 2022 Embark, a three-month program for entrepreneurs from Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, providing them with resources and advice to turn ideas into businesses.
The entrepreneurs also get a $10,000 equity-free grant, said Dan Kihanya, director of REI Path Ahead Ventures. The program looks to keep those founders engaged with REI, prompting Kalsoni’s connection to the local stores, Kihanya explained.
“In general, REI is working towards making the outdoors feel more inclusive. And so, [Mohamed's] a great example of somebody who's bringing the perspective from a specific community and a specific need,” Kihanya said. "That's reflective of what we're trying to do in terms of the outdoors is for everyone, and we certainly want to continue to work towards that.”
Looking ahead, Mohamed is hoping to collaborate with additional retailers and has hopes to scale the business into a global brand.
