Art & Craft shopping in Africa
-
A
Uganda Arts & Crafts Village
Hidden away behind the National Theatre, this 'village' has a number of stalls selling handicrafts, such as caneware, woodcarvings and small trinkets from around the country, all at quite reasonable prices if you bargain.
reviewed
-
B
Exposure Africa
Next door to Daisy's Arcade, this is the biggest craft market in Kampala, with about 30 stalls offering crafts from Uganda and beyond. Prices vary wildly between stalls, so shop around and don't forget your bargaining hat. Much of the merchandise comes from neighbouring Kenya, despite what the sellers claim.
reviewed
-
C
Mohammed Ben El-Hair
Mt Everest is overrated; the most thrilling mountain to scale is the one of colourful Berber carpets in this tiny shop. Charming elderly proprietor Abu Mohammed ushers you in with a smile and mint tea, then waves towards the mountain with a single word of English: 'Democracy!' This is your invitation to clamber up, and start pulling down whatever carpets appeal to you. The prices are more than democratic; they're downright proletarian.
reviewed
-
D
Marché des HLM
The fabulous Marché des HLM is the best place to buy African fabrics. Hundreds of rolls of wax-dyed bazin (dyed fabrics beaten to a shine with wooden clubs), vibrant prints, embroidered cloth, lace and silk lend colour to the ramshackle stalls and dusty streets of this popular quartier. You can get matching shoes, bags and jewellery at the same place, and even have your new ensemble sewn here.
reviewed
-
E
Banana Boat
An expanding empire, this sophisticated craft shop now has three branches. The original has a few local items, but many of the smart pieces come from all over Africa, including cards, batik, jewellery, clothing and carvings. There is a similar branch in the Garden City Complex, plus a branch with an emphasis on homes and interiors in the newer Lugogo Mall.
reviewed
-
Alert Handicraft Shop
There are shops that are a great way to support the city's hard-working less fortunate. At Alert Handicraft Shop, the Berhan Taye Leprosy Disabled Persons Work Group produce and sell beautiful items emblazoned with vibrant embroidery.
reviewed
-
F
Kirstenbosch Craft Market
Proceeds from this craft market go to the development fund for Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Mr Mather’s handmade wooden toys are worth looking out for.
reviewed
-
Former Women's Fuelwood Carriers Project
The Former Women's Fuelwood Carriers Project is a modest little shop, tucked about 300m west of Entoto Market and sells colourful hand-woven shawls.
reviewed
-
G
Old Biscuit Mill
Even if you don’t make it to Saturday’s Neighbourgoods market there are plenty of other good reasons for putting the Old Biscuit Mill towards the top of your to-do list. The converted biscuit factory is home to a fantastic collection of arts, craft, fashion and design shops. Apart from the pottery stores Clementina Ceramics and Imiso Ceramics, particular favourites include Love Africa, for colourful locally designed jewellery and fashion; a branch of the craft store Heartworks; ArtLab, where you can get new prints from the Tretchikoff collection; the rustic emporium Karoo Moon Country Store; Julestones for hand-crafted resin products; and the fantastic Mü & Me, the…
reviewed
-
H
Monkeybiz
You won’t miss this yellow building painted with red monkeys! Equally colourful beadwork products are found inside, all made by township women. The shop also stocks funky jewellery and gifts by other quirky Capetonian designers. Profits from the beadwork support the Monkeybiz Wellness Clinic for HIV/AIDS-affected women, held upstairs the same day women artists pack the street outside the head office to sell their beadwork – it’s a very lively scene. You’ll also find Monkeybiz products for sale at Carrol Boyes at the Waterfront.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Bombolulu Workshops & Cultural Centre
This nonprofit organisation produces crafts of a very high standard and gives vocational training to hundreds of physically disabled people. You can visit the workshops and showroom for free to buy jewellery, clothes, carvings and other crafts, or enter the cultural centre to tour mock-ups of traditional homesteads in the grounds, where various activities take place. Bombolulu matatus run here from Msanifu Kombo St, and Bamburi services in either direction also pass the centre.
The turn-off for the centre is on the left about 3km north of Nyali bridge.
reviewed
-
I
Montebello
This development project has helped several great craftspeople and designers along the way. In the leafy compound, check out the colourful bags made from recycled materials, the fashions of Mielie, and Thando Papers, started by Joseph Diliza who had the idea of turning invasive reeds from urban rivers into exclusive paper products. On weekdays you can visit several artists’ studios. There’s also a good café, the Gardener’s Cottage, and you can get your car washed.
reviewed
-
Penduka
Penduka, which means 'wake up', operates a nonprofit women's needlework project at Goreangab Dam, 8km northwest of the centre. You can purchase needlework, baskets, carvings and fabric creations for fair prices and be assured that all proceeds go to the producers. To get there, take the Western Bypass north and turn left on Monte Cristo Rd, left on Otjomuise Rd, right on Eveline St and right again on Green Mountain Dam Rd.
Then follow the signs to Goreangab Dam/Penduka. To be picked up for free from town call 0811 294 116.
reviewed
-
Monkeybiz Wellness Clinic
You won't miss this yellow building painted with red monkeys! Equally colourful beadwork products are found inside, all made by township women. The shop also stocks funky jewellery and gifts by other quirky Capetonian designers. Profits from the beadwork support the Monkeybiz Wellness Clinic for HIV/AIDS-affected women, held upstairs the same day women artists pack the street outside the head office to sell their beadwork – it's a very lively scene.
reviewed
-
Centre d'Appui à l'Autopromotion Féminine
The Centre d'Appui à l'Autopromotion Féminine women's cooperative outlet has a huge selection of interesting tie-dyed cloth. The numerous vendors opposite Hôtel Camayenne sell all the usual crafts while the shops around the CAAF have a smaller selection but higher quality. In general, it's better to buy baskets, textiles and other crafts upcountry, as quality is as good or better and prices are lower. Several woodcarving shops are found around town.
reviewed
-
J
Streetwires
The motto is ‘anything you can dream up in wire we will build’. And if you visit this social project designed to uplift young blacks and coloureds to see the wire sculptors at work, you’ll see what that means! It stocks an amazing range, including working radios and chandeliers as well as artier products such as the Nguni Cow range, which you’ll also find sold at upmarket craft shops such as Africa Nova.
reviewed
-
K
Waterfront Craft Market
Also known as the Blue Shed, this eclectic arts and crafts market, between Two Oceans Aquarium and Musica Megastore, harbours some great buys. Search out the colourful textile products of Ikamva Labantu; and Township Guitars, which makes and sells the all-electric township ‘blik’ guitars made from oil cans, wood and fishing wire (from R2900).
reviewed
-
L
Dr Socks
It's a family affair. In the summer, Dr Socks takes wool from the neck and lower back of camels, spins it and knits. His sister makes sweaters, his uncle blankets, while he and his mother get on with the socks and scarves. Dr Socks and his wares can be found at Al-Badawiya Safari & Hotel and beyond. Count on around £E10 to around £E30 for socks, and up to £E400 for a blanket.
reviewed
-
Centre des Traditions et des Métiers d'Art de Kairouan
To see carpets being made without the hard sell, the Centre des Traditions et des Métiers d'Art de Kairouan, just north of Bir Barouta on a side street leading to the souqs, was set up by ONAT to promote local handicrafts. The rooms upstairs are set up to demonstrate traditional techniques for weaving, embroidery and carpet making. The artisans are usually happy to show you how it's done.
reviewed
-
M
Fair Trade Centre Luxor Outlet
A nonprofit shop that markets handicrafts from NGO projects throughout Egypt. It has a good selection of well-priced hand-carved wood and pottery from the nearby villages of Hejaza and Garagos, aromatic oils from Quz, beadwork from Sinai and hand-blown glass, Akhmim table linen, beading from the west bank in Luxor, recycled glass and recycled paper from Cairo.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
N
Said Delta Papyrus Centre
A spin-off of Dr Ragab (the father of quality papyrus painting), Said has a vast selection, from ancient Egyptian scenes to cool Cairo skylines. He’ll do a cartouche with your name in about half an hour. Prices are negotiable and quite reasonable, provided you arrive without a tout. (The shop is up two flights and down a dim hallway.)
reviewed
-
O
Africa Nova
One of the most stylish and desirable collections of contemporary African textiles, arts and crafts. You’ll find potato-print fabrics made by women in Hout Bay, Karin Dando’s mosaic trophy heads, Jordaan’s handmade felt rock cushions (which look like giant pebbles) and a wonderful range of ceramics and jewellery.
reviewed
-
P
Ikamva Labantu
Wonderful fabric products, including stuffed animal toys, Nelson Mandela dolls (R180 and R225) and kids’ backpacks and clothes are made by the people with disabilities who are employed here. This is the factory shop and there’s also an outlet in the Red Shed Craft Workshop at the Waterfront.
reviewed
-
KEAG
Standing for Kommetjie Environmental Awareness Group, this organisation is to be applauded for recycling plastic into colourful ornaments and fun jewellery. You’ll find their products sold elsewhere but this is where they are made and you can take a peek at the workshop and Imhoff Farm at the same time.
reviewed
-
Q
Horass Handcraft
Sells some locally made crafts, including hand-decorated pouches cleverly marketed as ‘mobile phone holders’ or, our favourite, ‘guidebook holders’. It also has standard adorned traditional Bedouin costumes and camel-hair socks. If the shop is closed, knock on the door directly across the street.
reviewed