Karoofelt
The idea for karoofelt was born when travelling through the Karoo in April 2017. Why not in an area full of wool, create products that could empower local women to make a living and draw more attention to the incredible beauty of the area?
The products you see on our website have been created through many hands and minds: Knitting and crocheting the first item ideas, tweaking them over and over to get them right. We also received generous leather and fabric donations from a number of companies (see on the right), which we cannot thank enough for their generosity.
The name ‘Karoofelt’ stands for the strong sense of community, which one can find in this particular region and the heartfelt warmth, with which each visitor is received. It also plays with the words of “veldt” and “felting”, which we connect with wool and the Karoo landscape. And the milkyway? Well, if you come for a visit you will just know why it had to go into our logo.
The region we work in is rife with unemployment and work opportunities are scarce. Our concept is to find people in need, who are passionate about working with their hands, and choose to come join us. We currently have crafters working in our “karoofelt crafting spaces” in Burgersdorp and Graaff- Reinet in the Eastern Cape.
We believe as much in the diversity of our products as the people, who craft them. See how this initiative has changed some of their lives.
Karoofelt also has four whimsical Karoo story booklets:
~ The Shooting Star.
~ The Two hearts.
~ The Little Treehouse.
~ The Little Meerkat, Who Saw The Sun – in English & Afrikaans.
These stories are inspired by the Karoo, filled with adventure, purpose and subtle life lessons.
We hope you have as much joy reading these books as they had making them.