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Abafazi 
Ricca Turgel ::
Slessor Street, Alicedale 6135 ::
SOUTH AFRICA
T 27 42 231-1295 ::
F 27 42 231-1433
abafazi@telkomsa.net |
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| Abafazi means “the women”
in Zulu. Established in 1987 by Ricca Turgel, a product designer, Abafazi
combines traditional South African design elements and natural raw
materials such as mohair and ostrich feathers to reflect international
design trends. They are committed to creating new job opportunities in
rural areas of South Africa with an emphasis on training and empowering
women, encouraging and guiding them to adapt their ancient tribal images
to modern uses. They export to several countries. |
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| At African Sketchbook Fine Art
Fabrics we merge fabric with art – for curtains, upholstery, bed and
table linens. Our artists come from the surrounding townships of Cape Town
and do hand painting, block printing, stencils and screens onto every
piece of fabric – each piece is an original work of art signed by its
creator. Dianne, Partner and Creative Director, conceives all designs then
translates them into a set of tools from which our workshop-trained
artists can paint. |
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| Cheick Diallo discovered design
during the 1980’s while studying architecture in France. Through his
work new ideas are given form – often resurrecting materials from their
past life, transforming used bits of wrapping paper, magazines, and metal
into tables and chairs. At the same time, he has created a line of
accessories for the home produced by Tuareg artisans, known for their
fine, elegant jewelery. |
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| Gone Rural (Pty) Ltd was
initiated as a Rural Development Handcraft business in 1992, focusing on
the upliftment and empowerment of rural Swazi women. Working with Lutindzi
grass, dyed at the Gone Rural workshop then taken to the mountains where
women exchange it for undyed grass, they create fine mats, baskets, and
top-quality handcrafted home interior products. Each of the 770 women
support approximately 8 dependents, mostly children that are HIV / AIDS
orphans. Gone Rural has developed Aids education workshops to address
these challenges in their community. |
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| MAM, specializes in producing
luxurious hand embroidered household linens for bed and table. Creator
Marie-Amy Mbow, a trained archeologist working from Dakar, Senegal, takes
inspiration from the rich African archeological and cultural heritage she
shares with her collaborators. Working with a team of young designers from
the National School of Fine Art from Dakar, and young disadvantaged local
women skilled at the traditional craft of hand embroidery and needlepoint,
MAM produces luxury products enriched through the preservation of
tradtional heritage. |
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| Fly into Addis Ababa’s shiny
international airport and look up. You will see colossal hand-woven Muya
tibeb banners, a testament to the outstanding business Sara Abera has
developed in Ethiopia. Muya means 'creativity’ in Amharic and was born
out of diversifying a single iconic component of traditional Ethiopian
dress: the hand- woven tibeb border found on traditional robes. Muya
preserves an endangered indigenous craft, empowers her workers and offers
a practical model for sustainable development in African industry. |
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| The adventures of Nulangee
began over two decades ago with Babacar Niang, a self-taught artist,
sculptor and designer at its origin. Babacar’s unique talent to find
inspiration in each of his raw materials (iron, bronze, wood, leather,
horn) produces the most improbable shapes with extraordinary personality
and character. Using non- traditional techniques like sculptured horn,
braided iron, sewn wood and molded leather, Babacar creates furniture
pieces which are functional, unique and beautiful organic art forms. |
Shuttleworth
Weaving
Helen Shuttleworth ::
P.O. Box 81 Nottingham Rd 3280 ::
SOUTH AFRICA
T 27 88 33 266-6818 ::
F 27 88 33 266-6818
shuttleworth@futurenet.co.za |
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| We are a small group of mohair
spinners, dyers and weavers who live and work together in the Midlands of
KwaZulu Natal South Africa producing custom made carpets, working in
colours and designs developed specifically for individual clients; we
rarely make two of the same. As white South Africans, we wanted to do
something for the Zulu people living around us. Our employees are mostly
single mothers who work to support their children and extended families. |
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| The ancient art of potato
printing has been skillfully revived by a vibrant group of women from the
Masipumelele and Ocean View townships in Cape Town. Zambane, the Zulu word
for potato, has become a tool of empowerment and creativity for these
women, giving them a new lease on life. Intricate African inspired designs
are stamped onto fabric, creating unique and strong artwork on fabric sold
by the meter for curtains and upholstery and on finished products ranging
from table linens to soft furnishings. |
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