The Swazi Weave Story
Currently the business employs 50 women who are involved in different aspects of production (carding, spinning, dyeing and weaving). Superior quality mohair is sourced from Lesotho where it is processed by hand into yarn to be woven. Mohair from this area is farmed by subsistence farmers who live in the highlands with small herds of goats. The extremes of climate and altitude make for a good quality fleece.
Mohair dyes very well, it has a luster and richness of texture and colour. It is an excellent insulator and so makes ideal blankets and throws.
100% cotton is sourced in yarn form from a South African manufacturer – it is dyed and woven into throws and cushion covers and pillows and makes a light and beautiful accessory. Cotton colours are more muted than mohair and the texture is completely different. It may be more suitable to a warm, African climate than mohair.
Raffia adds texture to the cotton and is also dyed into rich colours and woven into fabric suitable for cushion coversand pillows. Raffia is sourced from Madagascar. The raffia is stripped into finer pieces and joined together with small knots before being woven. The raffia is surprisingly soft and has a natural and tactile feel.
Shawls and scarves made from handspun silk form are continually in demand. Silk spinning is painfully slow and the production of these items is extremely limited. Mulberry silk is used which is imported from the East. It is almost weightless when spun into a yarn and has a smooth and glowing appearance. Silk is very warm and ideal for scarves and wraps as well as cushion covers and pillows.
Manufacture is labour intensive, and requires patience, care and team work. Much of the mohair spinning is outsourced to women in the surrounding valleys creating employment and perpetuating valuable and scarce skills. There is little employment opportunity in this rural area, particularly for women – many staff members have been employed for many years and have passed their skills onto their daughters and family members. No machinery is incorporated into the production – all is done by hand – this limits the capacity to produce, but ensures the care and attention to detail involved in manufacture.
We look to incorporate more natural fabrics and yarns into production and we are currently looking at bamboo, alpaca and organic cotton yarnsfor our future production of our cushiuons and pillows. Natural and sustainable fibers are important and often require more skill to utilise.
All Swazi Weave fabrics are woven Exclusively for Mjita Trading Company.All Textiles are sent to our factory in Johannesburg where ourCushhion and pillow products are made up