As a first-time mother, I want the best for my son. While I’m still finding my footing as a new mom, I aim to make sure that he’s properly covered and warm but still looks cute and stylish. Fast fashion has made this affordable and accessible, with PEP leading the market in baby and kids apparel with a 10.9% market share followed by Ackermans (4.7%) and Truworths (4.3%). Because of this accessibility, I buy too much and then get reprimanded by uGogo [my grandmother]. She says it’s unnecessary for someone so little to have so much since he will outgrow the clothes in a week or so.
Besides buying less, I need to buy better, too. It has been proven that chemicals used in synthetic clothing are toxic and health hazardous to health, especially for children because their skin can absorb chemicals more easily than adults’ skin. For this reason, I’ve searched for sustainable, local and natural fibre children’s clothes. Here are four South African brands shaping a slow fashion journey for mothers and their babies.
Blankets From Africa
Blankets From Africa was born out of a road trip that Roslyn Bechet made to the outskirts of the Karoo, where she noted how the unemployment crisis affected local women. She started working with a small network of knitters in Graaff-Reinet, and today the female-owned and operated community project includes up to 45 women around the country. The products are handcrafted using locally grown and spun pure cotton and export-quality Karoo Merino wool.
The clothing offered includes baby booties, baby bonnets, rompers, jumpers, and cardigans, some of which are grouped together and offered as baby layettes, making great gifts for expectant mothers. Blankets From Africa also produces beautiful blankets, natural soaps, and mobiles.
Care recommendations
Caring for hand-made products requires careful handling but is not difficult. Ideally, most items should be hand-washed and dried flat. Avoid using tumble dryers. For larger wool items like blankets, professional cleaning is recommended.
Price range and sizes
The range of baby clothing items covers sizes from newborn babies to 5-6 years. Prices vary, ranging from R320 for a pair of booties to R1995 for larger items.
Find out more about Blankets For Africa on their website.
Pokkelokkie
Founded by Kerryn Van Vuuren after the birth of her first child, Pokkelokkie manufactures reusable cloth nappies in its Knysna factory. The company is dedicated to producing durable, high-quality items designed to last for years and through generations of children.
The team strongly believes in doing everything they can to prevent waste from heading to landfill. All scraps produced during the manufacturing process are donated to local businesses to find new life, for example as the stuffing in dog beds. Pokkelokkie is determined to encourage more parents to reduce waste by opting for modern day reusable nappies.
Care recommendations
Nappies should be washed at a maximum of 30°C and can be either line dried or tumble dried.
Price range and sizes
The sizing ranges from newborn to potty training age. Prices vary, ranging from R39 for boosting absorbent pads, R150 for a single nappy, to R360 for an ultra absorbent night nappy.
Find out more about Pokkelokkie on their website.
In Stitches
In Stitches is run by a mother-of-three, Lianne Godfrey, who crochets and stitches together a variety of toy animals in her home in Claremont, Cape Town. At In Stitches, off-cuts of yarn are used to stuff the animals with while elements of the yarn labels are used for product tags. The brand prides itself in purchasing 100% locally manufactured cotton yarns, mostly from another woman-owned business The Yarn Lady.
Care recommendations
As the products are handmade, they should be handled with care. On the odd occasion that a creature loses an arm or a leg, In Stitches does repairs free of charge.
Price range and sizes
From R200 for a baby rattle to R1200 for a toy animal, depending on its size and complexity. Most animals are between 15cm and 30cm tall.
Find out more about In Stitches on their Instagram.
Rainberry Baby
Rainberry Baby is an online baby boutique specialising in gender-neutral baby clothing and accessories. The brand was established in 2020 with only a handful of items and has since grown to offer a wide variety of products, including rompers, vests, jerseys, tracksuits and swaddle blankets. Specialising in quality carefully handmade, ethically designed pieces, Rainberry Baby’s clothing is made from cotton and bamboo cotton.
Items are gender neutral and made to last which means clothing can be passed down to siblings and friends to reuse.
Care recommendations
Preferably hand wash, but items will be fine if machine washed.
Price range and sizes
Sizes range from 0-3 months to 3-4 years. Pricing is between R99 for a cotton headband to R499 for a joggers and vest set.
Find out more about Rainberry Baby on their website.
- Feature image by Blankets From Africa.
