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Rami Helali

Co-founder & CEO, Kotn

Ethical apparelToronto

Rami Helali co-founded Kotn in Toronto in 2015 with Mackenzie Yeates and Benjamin Sehl and is its CEO. Before launching, he quit his job and went to Egypt to learn cotton production from local families. Kotn sells Egyptian-cotton apparel and has opened Beit Kotn, a free creative guesthouse in London.

Rami hasn’t spoken on a TechTO, TechVancouver or TechWaterloo stage. This profile is here because Rami co-founded Kotn, which appears in 1 talk in the archive.

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Quick answers

Who is Rami Helali?

He is co-founder and CEO of Kotn, the Toronto apparel brand founded in 2015 with Benjamin Sehl and Mackenzie Yeates; Future of Good reported "Based in Toronto, the online store was founded in 2015" and named Helali as co-founder and CEO (Future of Good, 2019-09-18). He grew up in Toronto and is of Egyptian heritage: "My background is Egyptian. I grew up in Toronto" (Future of Good, 2019-09-18).

Is Rami Helali still CEO of Kotn?

Yes. He was quoted as "Co-founder & CEO at Kotn" in March 2026 coverage of the brand's London guesthouse (S Magazine, 2026-03-15), and FACT Magazines identified him as co-founder and CEO the same year (FACT Magazines, 2026-02-16). His LinkedIn profile lists Kotn and Toronto, Ontario (checked 2026-09-21).

How did Kotn start?

The three co-founders were friends living in New York who had the idea in 2014 and launched the following year (Future of Good, 2019-09-18). Helali knew little about the fashion industry, quit his job and travelled to Egypt to learn cotton production directly from local families (Sharp Magazine, 2023-11-30).

What is Beit Kotn?

Beit Kotn is a free creative guesthouse Kotn opened in the Shoreditch neighbourhood of London (FACT Magazines, 2026-02-16). Helali said of it: "London is the first chapter, and Cairo will be the next. Cairo is especially meaningful because it's where our story began" (S Magazine, 2026-03-15).

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Maintained by TechTO · facts sourced and dated · last reviewed Sep 21, 2026