Crafty, stylish sisters Angela and Janet Shaw had spoken about doing something together for years before they decided to launch their own label, Shaw Sisters, in October last year.
Signature items include lights and ornaments made from cleverly folded books, brightly coloured Zulu woodwork and knitted dolls.
“Our main focus is handmade items — as many as possible,” Angela says. ‘We’ve always done very creative things. What we want to do now is look at product development and sourcing completely resolved products — not the kinds of curios that make your eyes glaze over, but craft that’s been elevated to something beautiful.”
Social aspect
On a trip to Asia Janet came across two sisters who — snap! — were mobilising local women’s groups to knit and crochet for them. “It was very similar to the set-up we had with other crafters,” Angela says. “The women who were knitting were based in very rural areas; they were working with their kids next to them. It had a very similar social aspect to the projects and people we work with in South Africa.
We were obviously quite cautious, going to Asia and buying stuff — there’s an immediate negative perception about sourcing goods from there, that you just buy crap and leave a terrible carbon footprint. And it’s very easy for anyone who wants to copy craft items.” This is why Shaw won’t reveal exactly where the dolls are from.
There’s absolutely nothing doily-like about the resulting wide-eyed anime-inspired poppies. Each comes with her own knitted boots, a dress and a handbag — additional accessories are sold separately. Although the dolls have proved popular with girls of all ages, more (im)mature buyers gravitate towards the wonderfully sour-faced “Grumpy Doll”, which looks like something your great-aunt would crochet for you … if your great-aunt was Morticia Addams, that is.
“I spend a lot of time thinking about how traditional crafts have evolved,” says Angela. “Mass-market South African products, those that are sold in volume, are probably being made in China. But at the same time, a whole sector of the market has grown out of the boutique end and people are responding more to handmade stuff. Hopefully we’re stimulating this, finding new ways of using traditional materials and techniques.”
Visit www.shawsisters.co.za for more information on their range of products