Our Story: Proud Zebra
A kid picked up a pin at our booth and came out to her mom.
That's the version that keeps us going. Here's who we are. 🏳️🌈
We're Proud Zebra, a queer-owned small Canadian business founded in 2020 by Delwin Tan (he/him) and Jimmy Cheang (he/him). We're a gay couple who design pride fashion accessories for 35+ pride identities, including the ones most brands don't bother making. Delwin loves plants and outdoor activities; Jimmy is passionate about marketing and loves Toy Story, desserts, and otters. 🦦
The Moment That Keeps Us Going 💛
Chilliwack Pride Market. A mom walks up with her daughter. Kid's maybe 13, 14. Quiet. Looking at all the pins.
Then she picks one up, turns to her mom, and says "I want the lesbian one." That's how her mom found out. Over a $15 pin. At our booth.
This isn't rare. We've heard stories like this at many of the pride markets we've been to. Pins that helped someone come out. Emails from grandparents whose relationship with a grandchild changed because of a pin. And the one we hear at almost every market, especially for identities like aroace, demiboy, and demigirl:
"Oh my god, IT'S ME. You guys actually have this one." ✨
Why We Started This 🌱
Most pride merch was either a rainbow flag slapped on something or nothing at all. The pins we could find were either cutesy clip art or generic designs that didn't really speak to us. If your identity wasn't one of the big ones, good luck finding yourself represented at all. We wanted something professionally designed, with real meaning behind it. We wanted to create a brand that empowers our community and spreads awareness of the challenges we face. We wanted every LGBTQ+ individual to be proud of who they are. 🌈
I (Delwin) felt that personally. I spent most of my life not quite fitting anywhere. Born in Singapore, grew up in Canada, moved back at 20 for army conscription and university.
Not Singaporean enough in Singapore, not Canadian enough in Canada, not out enough to be fully myself.
I did a master's in architecture. One night in a hotel room in Vietnam, I was up late drinking liquor and building a presentation due in six hours. My colleague was right beside me doing the same thing. That was the night I knew I was done. I quit and paid off the remaining bond with money I didn't really have. With what little I had saved, I started designing pride pins. My architecture background shaped everything we make, especially our Proud Cubes, which are inspired by geometric forms. Over 200 pin designs before I'd written a single listing (my ADHD brain was in full hyperfixation mode and I needed to get this right). But I kept adding identities. Aromantic. Demigirl. Demiboy. Aroace. When you've spent your life being a version of something nobody acknowledged, you don't leave anyone out. If an identity exists, we do our best to represent it.
Jimmy and I met in the Singapore army, but I had a girlfriend at the time and wasn't out yet. We reconnected five years later and have been together ever since. We talked about getting married, having children, and even a cute little puppy. But we knew none of that could happen in a country that still denies LGBTQ+ couples the right to marry. So in December 2021, we left behind friends and family and moved our entire lives to Canada. Four suitcases and a cargo container of enamel pins somewhere on the Pacific. We've been together for nine years now, and it hasn't been easy. But that's a longer story.
Why a Zebra? 🦓
Community. 🤝 Zebras are herd animals. They recognize each other's stripes from a distance. Freedom. 🌿 Zebras can't be domesticated. People have tried for centuries. They stay wild. Identity. 🏳️🌈 Every zebra's stripes are unique, like a fingerprint.
Those three words shaped everything: why our charity pins exist, why we design for identities most brands skip, and why we show up at pride festivals across BC every summer. Not a unicorn. A zebra. That felt more honest.
What We've Built 🛠️
We started with three charity pin designs. Today we design LGBTQ+ pride enamel pins, proud cubes, pronoun pins, bag charms, drawstring bags, twilly scarves, croc charms, shoelaces, stickers, and greeting cards, all available in 35+ pride identities.
We've donated over $10,000 to LGBTQ+ organizations. 5,000+ customers worldwide. 60+ wholesale accounts across North America, including HarperCollins, TJX, and Come As You Are. Every product designed by us. Every order packed by us. Still running this whole thing from home.
Find Your Pin 📌
Every pin we make started because someone's identity wasn't being represented. When you wear one, you're making that identity visible for yourself and for the next person who needs to see it. A pin on a backpack or a lanyard sparks conversations, and those conversations expand the safe spaces around us. Six of our designs are charity pins where 100% of net proceeds go directly to LGBTQ+ organizations.
If your identity is one of the 35+ we carry, we made it for you.
Want to carry our products? Learn about wholesale.
Questions About Proud Zebra
Who are the founders of Proud Zebra?
We're Delwin Tan and Jimmy Cheang, a queer couple who met in the Singapore army and moved to Canada in December 2021. Delwin handles design and creative direction, while Jimmy manages sales, marketing, and logistics. We run the business from our home in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.
Where is Proud Zebra based?
We're based in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Every order is packed and shipped from our home. During pride season (June through August), we travel to pride festivals and markets across BC, including Vancouver, Kelowna, Victoria, and Kamloops.
Is Proud Zebra LGBTQ-owned?
Yes! We're 100% queer-owned and operated. We're both members of the LGBTQ+ community, and we created Proud Zebra specifically for and by the queer community, with a focus on representing identities that most brands overlook.
What does Proud Zebra sell?
We design and sell LGBTQ+ pride fashion accessories including enamel pins, proud cubes, pronoun pins, bag charms, drawstring bags, twilly scarves, shoelaces, croc charms, lace charms, waterproof stickers, and greeting cards. Our products are available across 35+ pride identity flags including bisexual, non-binary, aromantic, asexual, demigirl, demiboy, and many more.
Does Proud Zebra donate to LGBTQ+ charities?
Yes! We've donated over $10,000 to LGBTQ+ organizations to date. We have six charity pin designs where net proceeds from every sale go directly to the related charity. Recipients include organizations supporting LGBTQ+ youth homelessness, community health, and refugee services.
Can I buy Proud Zebra products wholesale?
Yes! We work with 60+ wholesale accounts across North America, including HarperCollins, TJX, and Come As You Are. Visit our wholesale page or email us at contact@proudzebra.com for inquiries and custom orders.
Get in Touch 💬
For wholesale inquiries, custom orders, press, or just to say hi:
Email: contact@proudzebra.com
Follow our story on Instagram.
We respectfully acknowledge that we live and work on the unceded and ancestral territory of the Kiwkwetlem people.
Stay Proud, Stay Happy. 🖤🤍
Delwin & Jimmy