A non-profit organization based in Togo has developed what is being described as one of the world’s most practical clothing innovations, a school uniform that expands up to six sizes and grows up to a foot in length, allowing girls to wear the same dress for up to three years.
Style Her Empowered (SHE), founded in 2017 by American social entrepreneur Payton McGriff, created the adjustable uniform in response to a critical need identified among schoolgirls in the West African country. The organization had initially focused on providing school uniforms to underprivileged girls. However, it quickly became evident that many students were outgrowing their uniforms multiple times each academic year, leading to high dropout rates due to the cost of replacements.
Working closely with students and local seamstresses, SHE developed a dress with adjustable side cords for width and a deep hem for length, designed to accommodate growth spurts in girls aged 5 to 14. The uniform is intended to reduce the economic burden on families and ensure continued access to education.
“Our goal was to remove a barrier to education that is often overlooked. Uniforms are mandatory in many schools, but their cost and the need for constant replacement were preventing girls from staying in school,” said McGriff in an interview.
According to SHE, the uniforms are ethically manufactured by a team of 20 full-time seamstresses employed by the organization in Lomé. The dress design was tested and refined in collaboration with local schoolgirls to ensure comfort, durability, and cultural suitability.
In addition to its non-profit operations, SHE has launched Changemakers Uniforms, a social enterprise selling custom and standard school uniforms. Profits from sales are redirected to support the non-profit’s programming, allowing it to reach more than 1,500 girls annually.
While similar expandable clothing solutions exist such as the UK-based Petite Pli brand, which uses origami-inspired technology SHE’s focus on education-specific clothing, practical tailoring, and economic sustainability has distinguished its model from others.
Education experts and humanitarian organizations have welcomed the innovation, noting its potential to address some of the indirect costs of schooling that disproportionately affect girls in developing countries.
The United Nations estimates that 129 million girls worldwide are currently out of school. Studies show that providing school uniforms can significantly improve attendance rates, particularly in low-income regions.
The SHE project aligns with broader goals under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including access to quality education, gender equality, decent work, and responsible consumption and production.
SHE’s founder, McGriff, was recently recognized as a 2024 CNN Hero and named a UNICEF Young Climate Innovator. She hopes the uniform innovation will inspire more practical, community-driven solutions to educational challenges across the Global South.
“We designed this with the girls, for the girls,” McGriff said. “It’s a simple solution, but it’s making a long-term difference.”
In a world where fashion is often associated with luxury, waste, and fleeting trends, this uniform represents the opposite. It is modest, sustainable, and deeply rooted in purpose. It restores dignity to young girls, strengthens families, empowers women through employment, and reminds us all that sometimes, the simplest ideas carry the most profound power.
“Style Her Empowered is breaking down barriers so hope can rise in its place.“ – Oprah Winfrey
