20 SEPTEMBER 2019grew up in the valley town of Paarl in the Winelands of
the Western Cape. I was influenced by the natural beauty
surrounding me; the smell of the wet vineyards after a
rainstorm, the purple mountains and the wide expanse of the
night sky. Fast-forward and I married Ashley in 2002. This year
wewillcelebrate 17 years of marriage and we have two beautiful
girls.I started my business out of necessity when we suffered
severalfinancial and material losses over a span of about 10 years.
Out of desperation I cried out to God to give me an idea and he
showed me waste. Since then I have been restoring waste material
into beautiful homeware.”I draw inspiration from my beautiful country, South Africa, with its
diverse people, landscapes and animals. I also love observing the
everyday life, movements and sayings of people. Travelling is a huge
inspiration too.
Initially sourcing the right waste material for my designs was
a challenge, but I managed to partner with the waste company
Averda, as well as Val de Vie Estate in Paarl. The residents of the
estate donate their used waste items like wine bottles in support of
my cause. Currently the biggest challenge is educating people about
the value in waste. Through the business, we try to inspire more
people to consider a circular economy, rather than a recycling culture.
The most rewarding part is knowing we make dent, albeit a small
one, in alleviating the waste to landfill. It also makes me very proud
knowing the end product will have a much longer life than its initial one.
I would describe my design style as a combination of pop-art and
contemporary. I am drawn to the imagery and icons of our time
as well as street culture. Then I have a side of me that is drawn to
classic contemporary. This is also true in the way I dress – I have
“pop” days and then I have classic days when a crisp white shirt and
black pants make me happy!
My plans for the future are to work hard towards building a strong
brand and expand nationally. I have plans to open a retail shop in
the near future. I also see the business creating meaningful impact
in the community by fostering job creation and purpose. I view my
business as a pivotal tool to help strengthen the local economy. Our
products are symbolic of the process I found myself in, when I was
literally on the dump without hope. My family and I have managed to
reinvent ourselves and we are now on the path of restoration. With
this message I would like to create hope.
I would describe myself as feisty, detailed and an optimist.
My holiday d tintioni h rm l h i h Egypt. LIZL
NAUDE
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