OUR VISION
We are passionate about South African design: its creativity, its craft, and its power to shape how the world sees us. Our vision is for the industry to emerge as a distinct global design brand that combines the country’s legacy of craft, heritage, and storytelling with contemporary making techniques. By supporting these values, we ensure that investment flows into local creative and maker communities.
70+
SA Designers
2018
Founded
75 000
Pieces Sold
Global
Export Reach
OUR COMMUNITY
Urbanative
Urbanative, led by Mpho Vackier, creates contemporary pieces rooted in African heritage and sustainability. Inspired by tribal hairstyles, ancient kingdoms, and Adinkra symbols, her work brings tradition into modern interiors through furniture, lighting, and decorative objects.
Wiid Design
Wiid Design is known for innovative cork creations. From his Cape Town studio, Laurie Wiid van Heerden crafts high-end furniture and lighting. As an ambassador for Amorim, he has achieved global f irsts, including large-scale cork designs exhibited by Southern Guild.
Mash T
Mash T Design Studio, founded by Thabisa Mjo, blends tradition and technology to tell cultural stories. From the award-winning Tutu 2.0 Pendant to the Hlabisa Bench, each piece merges craft, contemporary design, and storytelling into functional, expressive works.
Ananta Design Studio
Ananta Design Studio, founded by Viveka and Rucita Vassen, creates vibrant furniture, lighting, and décor inspired by African and Indian heritage. Their work blends traditional craft with contemporary design, celebrating culture, community, and storytelling through bold, meaningful pieces
The Ninevites
The Ninevites is a textile design studio founded by Nkuli Mlangeni-Berg, centred on conscious making and global artisan collaboration. Based in Stockholm, the studio creates rugs, cushions, blankets, and limited-edition pieces inspired by African traditions, black culture, and community upliftment, using locally sourced OEKO-TEX-certified fibres.
Mema Designs
Led by Sian Eliot, Mema Designs creates elegant aluminium mesh lighting with a soft, ethereal quality. Inspired by organic, nature-driven forms, each piece blends technical precision with artistic expression, bringing a sense of lightness and wonder to the spaces they illuminate.
Naturalis
Naturalis creates functional, customisable furniture and seating solutions that balance durability with thoughtful design. From outdoor benches to upholstered auditorium seating, each piece reflects the brand’s focus on comfort, flexibility, and craftsmanship.
David Krynauw
David Krynauw creates refined timber furniture and lighting rooted in craftsmanship and innovation. Known for pushing the boundaries of wood design through advanced techniques, his work blends precision, sustainability, and sculptural form, shaping contemporary pieces that reflect both technical expertise and a deep respect for material.
OUR PROJECTS
Issac Shongwe Room, Johannesburg
A flexible and inspiring conferencing space for leadership teams, government partners, and commercial partners, showcasing the best of South African creativity through art, craft, and design. The space can be configured for different styles of meeting, with a catering area that is both accessible and able to be discreetly concealed. Integrated throughout are pieces that reflect South African heritage and partnerships with designers, artists, and crafters, with materials such as beads, wool, cork, and clay thoughtfully showcased.
SOL pop-ups, Nationwide
Union House, Cape Town
An office space for a prominent South African leadership team, alongside a team of art curators and collection administrators. The space is designed to support multiple ways of meeting and collaborating within a shared environment. South African creativity is showcased through the integration of art and design-led furniture pieces, all designed and made locally.
I think that designers have a very strong presence in South Africa and we have a very strong voice. Maybe that voice is stronger than in a lot of other countries on the global stage. And I would like to see that developed – not in line with international trends, but in line with our own language, inspired by what our country has to offer. The challenge and opportunity is to turn South Africa into a global player in a much more meaningful way