Olive Button Co

www.olivebutton.co.za

INSTAGRAM @olivebuttonco

My love for sewing began with an activity embraced by many young girls – making clothes for dolls! Many a weekend and school holiday my friends and I walked to the local dumping site in Ngangelizwe, a township in the small town of Mthatha, Eastern Cape, in search of fabric scraps from nearby businesses and factories.  We sat together for hours, transforming these scraps of waste into beautiful garments for our dolls, occasionally taking breaks to play our favorite games. My first range, releasing September 2019, is inspired by these childhood experiences, and all the pieces are named after the games that we played.

Though I eventually outgrew my interest in playing with dolls, my love for sewing continued to grow as I found myself alterating and modifying my much younger sisters’ clothing – adding embellishments, frills and funky buttons to whatever I could lay my hands on.  And later, even as a young University student, I found sewing household items for my tiny room a much welcomed and refreshing escape from academic work. 

Many years later, when I became a mother, I was determined to finally learn to use a sewing machine and advance my skills, so that I could make beautiful and original clothing for my children. 

Olive Button was born out of my desire to creatively express and share this love. As the Founder, I currently make all garments myself with great thought, love and care, paying close attention to fabric choices and construction methods. We believe in clean, simple designs that work for special occasions, play and everything in between; and that live beyond seasonal trends. Our clothes are thus made with not only your child in mind, but also the siblings, cousins and friends that they will be passed on to, enabling continued love and enjoyment for many more wears. 

Therefore quality is a high priority, and we will strive to keep this standard of thought and ethical production as we grow.