Reo Way Clothing, established last year September during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, is a clothing line aiming to support te reo Māori through their kākahu.
Founder, Estelle Halford, is on a mission herself to learn the native tongue of Aotearoa.
"Reo Way Clothing- helping you look good the reo way! Why not learn te Reo Māori and look good at the same time?" says Halford.
The main aim of the clothing is to revive, strengthen and ignite te reo by printing key words that are well-known and understood by Māori and non-Māori alike.
Halford's journey started at AUT, "Seeing other pakihi Māori starting their own businesses promoting te reo Māori, I wanted to get on to that waka as well and start my own business. I noticed that there weren't many te reo Māori based kākahu out there."
Halford's business also helps her continue her own reo journey, which she remains humble about.
"It's been a slow, but meaningful journey for me, although I did not grow up with te reo Māori and although I am not as fluent as I should be," she says.
It hasn't been an easy road for Halford, she's faced many challenges. What keeps her going is the support of her whānau and her passion for her language and culture.
"There were so many challenges and obstacles with starting Reo Way Clothing, whether that be the equipment, teaching myself how to work, pressing the garments and stuff. My whānau have always been there for me from when I started until now."
Halford is thinking big for this year's Māori Language Week.
"We've got a few influencers and celebrities out there who will be promoting Te Wiki o te Reo Māori by wearing Reo Way Clothing and, also, we might be on Shortland Street so keep an eye out on that," she says.
In the meantime, Halford will continue to embark on learning her language- and making clothes the reo way.