“If it weren’t for the encouragement of my sister, I never would have taken my artistic side seriously or started this business,” admits Morongwe “Mo” Mokone, referring to Mo’s Crib co-founder, Michelle. “I used to take plastic bags and weave them into rugs.” Today, their company offers woven baskets, trays, planters and more. “None of this would have happened if we didn’t have each other.”
“Our values have really helped us define our business,” Michelle explains. That includes adding value to their home country. “Building a business in South Africa, where every dollar is coming back to our community, is really special.”
“It is our joy to bring the artisanship, beauty and culture of our country to people all over the world,” Mo continues. “One guiding ideal that we live by as a nation is Ubuntu, a word that encourages compassion and the spirit of connectedness.”
Women are an essential part of that connectedness. “We are a Black-owned, female-founded business with a mostly (90%) female staff of South African women. The female artisans who make by hand all of our products are compensated with fair wages, housing, hot meals and transportation.” The staff can also access on-site health care and educational opportunities that help them and their families.
The Mokone Sisters also believe in looking after Mother Earth. “We learned that PVC is the third-most-produced plastic in the world, but under one percent of it is recycled,” shares Mo. So they figured out how to create products using reclaimed PVC water pipes. “With every basket we sell, we’re having an impact on the growing issue of irreversible plastic pollution,” says Mo. “Cleaning up our landfills isn’t glamorous work, but we’re turning trash into treasure.”
And what treasures their baskets are: durable, washable, bug-resistant and suitable for storing everything from bathroom linens to firewood. What’s more, navigating the pandemic has helped the sisters learn about adjusting to the needs of the marketplace. “It let us know on a deeper level that we can be – and can do – more than what we think we are capable of,” says Michelle. “We’re aiming higher than we ever thought.”
Like what you see? Get it first with a subscription to aspire design and home magazine.