| 07/09/09 - Cape CraftCompany Stitches Up Top Handmade Award |
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 A small Kommetjie company, that uses traditional upholstery methods and handcrafted materials to produce furniture with designer flair, has taken top honours at one of SA’s leading lifestyle shows.Casamento, owned by Starry Eve Collett and partner Henry Durand, beat craft producers from all nine provinces to take the award of Best Product at the SA Handmade Collection at Decorex Johannesburg. Eve, who spent childhood hours in her mother’s Pilgrims Rest art studio, said she had always been interested in needlework. About two years ago she and her sister began buying old furniture and incorporated hand crafted panels into the restored items. These customised pieces were an instant hit among creative clients who loved the unique creations. The company now also makes furniture from scratch, using age-old upholstering methods and incorporating natural fibres such as coir, sisal, hessian and flock for solid yet breathable and comfortable seating. Traditional methods such as stitching with wax twine and working with jute webbing require patience and skill and have helped create jobs for four people in the studio – three full-time and one part-time. The company also commissions local crafter producers to knit, crochet and embroider pieces. Casamento also won praise at the Handmade Collection for its cabbage cushions, which are crocheted by a group of elderly ladies living in the small Karoo town of Fraserburg. Eve explains: “I bought a small house in Fraserburg and realised that the ladies in the old age home did a lot of beautiful crochet work. I wanted to use their skills, and together we adapted an old 1960s pattern for a ruffled cushion. The ladies love working with the silky-soft merino and kid mohair blend, and the cushion stuffing is also natural, using kapok from seed pods.” Eve and Henry have focused on the South African market to date, but some cushions and furniture were recently taken to a Norwegian trade show by Isandi, a Scandinavian wholesale outlet that works closely with the Cape Craft and Design Institute (CCDI) and other bodies to promote South African design. “We are delighted at Casamento’s success at the Handmade Collection,” said Marjorie Naidoo, CCDI communications manager. “There was a large selection of beautiful products at the show, and to take the top accolade against such strong competition is quite an achievement.” She added that a superbly styled stand, plus excellent sales, contributed to the Western Cape winning both the gold medal for the best stand at the SA Handmade Collection as well as the award for best sales. Some 18 hand crafters and designer producers notched up over R600 000 in sales in only five days. Issued by: Judy Bryant Communications 0832867168 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it On behalf of: Cape Craft and Design Institute Contact: CCDI 021-461 1488 Communications Manager Marjorie Naidoo 021-461 1488 |