Must-see shopping in South Africa

  • T-Bag Designs

    Sea Point to Hout Bay

    Recycled tea bags are used to produce an attractive range of greetings cards, stationery, and other quality paper products; it’s a worthwhile project that…

  • Neighbourgoods Market

    Johannesburg

    It's mainly about grazing and hanging out at this two-storey brick warehouse, which fills with artisan purveyors and their foodie fans every Saturday…

  • Milnerton Flea Market

    Cape Town

    Hunt for vintage pieces and collectables among the junk and cheap goods at this car-boot sale that fills up a car park on the edge of Table Bay. The views…

  • Stevenson

    Cape Town

    Exhibitions at this well-respected gallery have included the humorous, subversive work of Anton Kannemeyer, also known as Joe Dog, creator of the darkly…

  • Peregrine Farm Stall

    Western Cape

    Locals love to stop here for a freshly baked pie and some just-pressed apple juice before heading off on a road trip. As well as the farm stall, there's a…

  • 99 Juta Street

    Johannesburg

    An art deco-style building covered in pink and green tiles, 99 Juta is home to several of Jo'burg's top local product designers, including the wildly…

  • Annette Oelefse Mohair Products

    Eastern Cape

    South Africa is the largest mohair (a fabric made from the hair of an Angora goat) producer in the world, and the majority of South African mohair is…

  • Pan African Market

    Cape Town

    A microcosm of the continent, packed into three floors, with a bewildering range of arts and crafts (which you should certainly bargain over). On the top…

  • Mali South Clothing

    Cape Town

    There are several tailoring shops dotted along Long St where you can buy ready-to-wear items or have custom-designed clothing made from vibrantly…

  • Carole Nevin

    Cape Town

    Carole's colourful hand-printed and hand-painted fabrics can be bought by the metre or sewn into table linens, cushion covers, tea towels and the like…

  • Pottershop

    Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula

    Pick up works by local ceramicists, including rejects of hand-painted plates and cups by the Potter’s Workshop (www.pottersworkshop.co.za), which often…

  • Workshop Newtown

    Johannesburg

    Occupying part of the 1911 Potato Sheds building that is now part of the Newton Junction mall development, this small arcade offers up emerging fashion…

  • Yellow Lemontree

    Limpopo

    Stunning wood furnishings from northern India make a marvellous purchase (yes, it ships internationally), but it also has a range of stunning homewares…

  • Wezandla African Craft Traders

    Port Elizabeth

    This brightly coloured arts and crafts centre has a huge array of items made by South African and Zimbabwean groups, including basketware, jewellery,…

  • Donald Greig Gallery & Foundry

    Green Point & ­Waterfront

    The striking, life-sized bronze animal sculptures of Donald Greig grace many public and private spaces around the Western Cape. At his foundry, set in a…

  • Mnandi Textiles & Design

    Cape Town

    Mnandi sells cloth from all over Africa, including the local shweshwe cotton printed with everything from animals to traditional African patterns. You can…

  • Black Chillie Style

    Cape Town

    Stocking high-quality, Dutch-manufactured waxed-cotton prints in dazzling West African designs, this fabric shop and tailor can turn out all kinds of…

  • Mememe

    Cape Town

    A forerunner of the funky boutiques blooming along Long St, Mememe was started by award-winning sculptor and fashion designer Doreen Southwood in 2001. It…

  • Naartjie

    Green Point & ­Waterfront

    This attractive range of designer cotton clothing for kids has grown from a stall on Greenmarket Sq to a global brand.

  • Market @ the Sheds

    Pretoria

    One of the projects of a nonprofit company aiming to rejuvenate central Pretoria, this lively monthly market showcases local creativity in terms of food,…

  • Francoise V

    Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula

    This gallery sells gorgeous wildlife and savannah landscape photos in black-and-white, sepia and faded blues and greens, with images of elephants and…

  • Woodstock Foundry

    Cape Town

    This handsome complex of design studios and shops occupies a revamped old Woodstock building. You'll also find furniture designed by Vogel; jewellery in…

  • Clarke’s Bookshop

    Cape Town

    Take your time leafing through the best range of books on South Africa and the continent, with a great secondhand section upstairs. If you can’t find what…

  • Mungo

    Cape Town

    The Cape Town retail outpost for this fabric-weaving business from Plettenberg Bay. They design, weave and make a wide range of attractive homeware items,…

  • Brooklyn Mall

    Pretoria

    A mega-mall where you'll find anything from fashion to kids' toys, homewares and clothing. Cape Union Mart is good for outdoor gear and Exclusive Books…

  • Merchants on Long

    Cape Town

    This ‘African salon store’, in one of Long St’s more beautiful buildings and boasting a terracotta art nouveau facade, is a gallery of top contemporary…

  • Wild Oats Community Farmers Market

    Garden Route

    A Garden Route institution, this farmers market has been operating for over a decade. Arrive early to get your pick of the pies, biltong, cheese, cakes,…

  • Redhill Pottery

    Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula

    In a forested valley between Simon's Town and Scarborough, Redhill specialises in pottery that mimics old enamelware in its glaze and incorporates bright…

  • Noordhoek Farm Village

    Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula

    This leafy complex, which has the pastoral charm of a Cape Dutch farmstead, is a pleasant place to buy gifts and souvenirs, from African craft to local…

  • Sobeit Studio

    Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula

    Occupying the top floor of a pink-and-turquoise art deco building, this modern curiosity shop of crazy creatives includes wax artists, graphic and…

  • Baraka

    Cape Town

    Baraka means ‘blessing’ in Arabic. Co-owner Gavin Terblanche has an eclectic eye for what works as a gift or quirky piece of home decor. Products include…

  • Ma Se Kinners

    Cape Town

    Meaning 'Mother's Children' but also slang for 'How's it going?', this attractive place stocks high-quality, locally made kids and women's clothing and…

  • Century City Natural Goods Market

    Cape Town

    Held on the last Sunday of the month, this well-established market – with plenty of eating options and kids' entertainment – sets up in the park opposite…

  • Timberlake Organic Village

    Garden Route

    This complex off the N2 between Wilderness and Sedgefield has the pleasant Zucchini restaurant and some small shops selling fresh produce, boutique…

  • Unknown Union

    Cape Town

    The showroom for this unisex Capetonian streetwear brand is a friendly, colourful and appealing place to shop for fashion statements as well as more…

  • Wola Nani

    Cape Town

    Wola Nani, Xhosa (isiXhosa) for ‘we ­embrace and develop each other’, is an NGO that assists those with HIV and AIDS. Products on sale here (its head…

  • Shimansky

    Green Point & ­Waterfront

    Diamonds are synonymous with South Africa – here you’ll find plenty of them, set in a range of jewellery designs.

  • Catacombes

    Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula

    Get the floaty boho look at this boutique, which stocks a beautiful range of dresses, separates and accessories. They're locally made and designed with…

  • Five8ths

    Johannesburg

    Elizabeth Kading is the meticulous shirtmaker at this tempting atelier inside the 44 Stanley complex. She uses fine cottons, some with beautiful prints,…

  • Shipwreck Shop

    Sea Point to Hout Bay

    For anything to do with the Cape's maritime heritage and seafaring in general – from scrimshaw (old carved ivory) and skippers' caps to charts and models …

More destinations you need to see