About The Makers
Monkey Balls
These unique balls are made from the fruit of the Monkey Apple tree, and have been collected in the African bush, then sun dried, hand crafted and decorated. It is a certified, renewable, and sustainable resource which is creating employment in Africa. The Monkey Apple fruit is also used in traditional medicine for curing various stomach ailments.
Ndebele Dolls
The Ndebele are among the smallest tribes in Southern Africa, but are easily one of the most colourful and distinctive.
More than 70 Ndebele women from very poor economic circumstances earn an independent income from this project. They live mostly in remote areas where there are very few job opportunities. Their social structure is patriarchal and females have a very limited status within the community. The Ndebele women producing this beadwork, work individually from their homes in KwaNdebele, and in doing so are able to care for their children and retain their traditional lifestyles.
Recycled Telephone Wire Bowls
This project was established in a subsistence farming area where unemployment is close to 80%. Over 400 people have become skilled in various basketwork, beadwork, and sewing techniques as a direct result of this project. Crafters vary from a regular core group, to others who produce irregularly depending on their commitments (birth of a child, hut building, cropping). This project has also helped to build a crèche for the community, as well as implementing a food scheme. Some of the older boys are using their incomes to help put themselves through school.
Zenzulu - Telephone Wire Craft
ZENZULU is a design led craft business, renowned for the fusion of contemporary design with traditional craft skills and the creation of innovative, premium quality hand made South African products. Initiated 12 years ago by designer Marisa Fick-Jordaan and targeted craft products from the KwaZulu-Natal province.
ZENZULU product designs are regularly updated and manufactured to the highest quality standards, eco-friendly and fairly traded, ensuring sustainable incomes for more than 350 home based craft producers in four different communities. This design symbiosis has become a South African design classic, receiving numerous accolades and awards, including an Elle Decoration International Design Award in 2002. Over the past two years, ZENZULU™ vessels have been showcased in Design Made in Africa; an international travelling exhibition of Contemporary African Design, selected by Li Edelkoort for her North meets South exhibitions in Paris and Stockholm, and featured in The Conran Shop’s Harare to Higgovale exhibitions in London, New York, Paris and Tokyo.
Wola Nani - Papier Mache Craft
Wola Nani Crafts emerged in response to the need for unemployed, HIV-positive women to generate an income. Through a developmental, self help approach the project’s members have been enabled to take greater control of their lives and achieve a better quality of life. We thank you for contributing to their lives.
The craft designs are distributed extensively throughout South Africa and overseas. Their colourful, cheerful designs are widely recognised and they enjoy the Proudly South African endorsement.
Wola Nani - Beaded AIDS pins
Wola Nani Crafts emerged in response to the need for unemployed, HIV-positive women to generate an income. Through a developmental, self help approach the project’s members have been enabled to take greater control of their lives and achieve a better quality of life. We thank you for contributing to their lives.
The beaded square, worn as a brooch or necklace, is a traditional Zulu love letter. In its symbolic arrangement of colour and pattern are woven the hopes and desires of the wearers. The beaded AIDS ribbon draws both on this ethnic tradition and on the international recognition of the red ribbon as a symbol of solidarity and compassion for all those affected by HIV/AIDS. By wearing this symbol, you reflect your support of global AIDS awareness, and your contribution directly benefits Wola Nani.
Jojo's Metal Wire Craft
Jojo metal wire craft business is based in Cape Town, South Africa. Each item is hand made by 1 of the 11 crafters employed by Jojo & has a characteristic rust colour.
Kaross - Hand embroidered table runners and cushion covers
Kaross™ is an embroidery initiative started in 1989 with five Shangaan embroiderers and Irma van Rooyen as founder and creative director. Sitting on a Kaross™ (blanket) the ladies started creating works of art from their cultural background. The objective was to create pieces of excellent quality with a fresh approach to hand craft.
Over the past 18 years Kaross™ became the voice of 1000+ Shangaan people and their communities in the Letsitele/Giyani area of the Limpopo Province. Kaross™ is re-writing a culture by exploring its heritage and re-applying it to modern, marketable products and artworks.
Kaross™’s incentive is to create jobs and opportunities for mainly rural woman to make a living by being creative within the realm of their own traditional background. The job-creation and upliftment aspect of the project remains the driving force behind all developmental and business decisions in Kaross™.
The final result is something of extraordinary beauty, combined with durable quality and fade-free wash ability.
Township Bags
Township bags have been produced by previously underprivileged women in the townships of Cape Town. These woman’s lives improve with every bag sold!
Township Patterns is a Fair Trade South African organisation that has a commitment to bridging the gap between poverty & the working class. They have an innovative business model & operate as a co-operative. Each co-operative has 8 to 10 women with full worker ownership & autonomous management. These women are paid fair prices & receive regular orders. In doing so they are able to bring home a regular & decent income. All bags are hand made & fully biodegradable.
Bolgatanga Baskets
These baskets are made by the skilled weavers of Ghana, Western Africa. They take the local grass called elephant grass to make this basket. The leather handle is braided adding to its beauty. It takes about 3 days to make one of these beautiful, durable baskets.
Proudly South African Symbol
Proudly South African is an exciting campaign to promote South African companies, products and services which are helping to create jobs and economic growth in the country.
Supported by organised labour, organised business, government and community organisations, Proudly South African is the way for everyone to do something concrete to support job creation, and help build this young nation.
At the heart of the campaign is the Proudly South African logo. Companies who meet the standards set by Proudly South African can use the logo to identify themselves, their products and services.
The criteria which must be met before the logo can be used are:
- The company's products or services must incur at least 50% of their production costs, including labour, in South Africa, and be "substantially transformed" (in other words a product that is merely imported and re-packaged would not be eligible).
- The company and its products or services must meet high quality standards.
- The company must be committed to fair labour and employment practices.
- The company must be committed to sound environmental standards.
By meeting these standards, consumers can be assured that companies and their products carrying the Proudly South African symbol are of a high quality, are socially responsible and are supporting the local economy.
Every time you purchase a product bearing the logo, you are making a vital personal contribution - not just to creating jobs, but also to quality improvement and a sense of pride in the South African nation.
Kenana Knitter Critter
Kenana Knitter Critters charming designs are created from all-natural homespun wool bought from local Kenyan women. The wool is dyed with plants grown in their own garden. Kenana knitters are rural women who utilise knitting skills to support their families in a developing economy where the basic neccessities of life are difficult, if not impossible to obtain. Money earned by the Kenana knitters goes directly to the women who are able to improve the quality of life for themselves and their families.
The wool comes naturally in cream, browns and greys ... Part of the charm of the items is the many different shades, the same as those of the multi-coloured flocks of local sheep! Colours are obtained from dying the wool with traditional plants, propagated and grown in our garden so as not to impact adversely on the environment.
Njoro is mainly a farming area - agricultural work for the men is easier to come by than for the women-folk, yet agricultural wages are insufficient to support large and extended families. This group generates two forms of income, buying the wool, then creating more work by turning the wool into a marketable product. The money goes directly into the hands of the women who are thus able to improve the quality of their lives.
Beaded Craft - Brian
Brian is the creative young man responsible for the beautiful beaded Christmans decorations from South Africa. He is originally from Zimbabwe and now lives in Cape Town. He is 34 years old & left Zim 5 years ago and is currently studying Law at university & is in his 3rd year. He uses the money from his craft to look after his mother & also pays all his school fees himself.
Brian learnt his skills from the scarcity of toys & is self taught. He says that when you have nothing you create things to keep you busy. He believes that this self taught skill comes from within.
Recycled Coffee Bags - Hand made by WREN
An important aspect of Wren is that everything is done with sustainability in mind and with nature as the inspiration.
The Organic Coffee Sling/Shoulder Bags are the newest venture. They are made from found and unwanted jute coffee bean sacks that have been worn wonderfully soft. They are lined with organic hemp canvas for stability and a laser-cut wooden button closes them. They are 100% organic- no zips, no frills … a simple, beautiful and perfect bag!
Imandeco Rugs
These stunning hand made rugs are made in Togo. Togo is a narrow country in West Africa bordering Ghana, Benin to the East, Burkina Faso to the North. It has a population of 3million people & its capital is Lome.
The Togolese tribes are very skilled craftspeople and creatively use traditional methods of weaving utilising fishing wire & other materials at hand. The Togolese have specail way with colour as illustrated in their dress & crafts.
The Imandeo workshop in Lome employs 60-80 people at varying times with the vast majority of people employed, including the foreman being from Togo. The manager of the workshop Pierre is French but has lived in Togo for over 20 years.
Imandeco has helped the Togolese in many ways. Togo is a very poor country & the work generated by Imandeco provides a regular income which supports many families. The wages of an Imandeco weaver is equivalent to that of an established police officer. It is very much a family orientated business and when the owners visit they stay with the workers & eat with them as a family.
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