Winnipeg entrepreneur Ashra Reimer is using fashion to encourage people to wear their faith boldly through her Christian clothing brand, Awaiting Eden, with designs she says are meant to spark meaningful conversations.
Reimer started the business by creating clothing for herself before friends began asking where they could get similar pieces.
Now, Awaiting Eden offers hoodies and oversized T-shirts featuring faith-based messaging, embroidery, patchwork, and screen-printing designs. The clothing ranges from subtle statements to bold declarations of faith, including phrases like “Jesus Saves” and Bible verses, like Isaiah 40:31.
Reimer says the clothing gives people an opportunity to express what they believe.
“I think that in a world that’s so hidden, it’s so important to spread what we believe, or just positive messaging through something as simple as clothing,” she said.
She says the apparel often opens the door to deeper conversations with strangers.
“I feel like there are so many days in my life where I’ve walked through life without, or even walking through school, university, or the mall, I can go an entire time without talking to a person.”
“But this is a way to spark conversation that’s actually deeper than just, ‘Hey, how are you doing?’”
Although Reimer initially worried about possible negative reactions to openly wearing Christian clothing, she says her experiences have been overwhelmingly positive.
“I have a big one that says ‘Jesus Saves’ on the back, and wearing that one out at first, I was kind of scared, almost, which I’m kind of embarrassed to admit, but I think that that’s a reality.”
Despite those nerves, she says publicly displaying faith is important.
“It is actually important to be brave in displaying your faith,” she said.
Reimer recalls one interaction with a neighbour that stood out to her.
“My neighbour saw me hauling all my bins out to the car the other day, and they said, ‘What does Jesus leave the 99 to save the one mean?’ And I got to tell that whole story, which was so cool to a non-believer.”
“And even if it’s a simple moment like that and they don’t instantly give their life to Jesus, little hints of God can go a long way.”
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She says the business has also opened her eyes to the size of the Christian community in Manitoba and beyond.
“I feel like wearing the clothing and selling the clothing, I see how big the community is,” Reimer said. “For me, it’s always felt like the Christian community seems almost small because I feel like I know everyone in the Christian community, at least in Winnipeg, which obviously is not true.”
“But now that I’m out in other places, I see how many people are proud to wear their faith.”
With support from friends and the local Christian community, Reimer officially launched Awaiting Eden in December 2025.
She says there are not many Christian clothing brands based in Canada and hopes to continue growing sales as she offers shipping across Canada and the United States.
One of her first opportunities to showcase the brand came at Winnipeg’s Third + Bird Christmas market.
While Reimer continues pursuing a degree in early childhood education, she hopes Awaiting Eden can eventually become a full-time career.
“It is simply to spread the word of God through high-quality apparel,” she said.