Mielie - Origins and Ethos

Mielie, founded by Adri Schütz in 2002, produces a range of contemporary handbags, accessories, home ware products and clothing. Wherever possible, recycled materials are used and, given the choice, the team always try to make things by hand, thereby creating as many jobs as they can.

Whilst working as a freelance graphic designer, Adri chanced upon some hooked rug carpets that were made by weavers from Epilepsy South Africa and was immediately smitten by the technique – it is very tactile, colourful and there are very few design restrictions. So convinced was she that she could create a market if she designed a range of products that used this technique, she established the Mielie business initially producing smaller items like handbags and cushions as the process of weaving is so time

consuming. She sold them to shops locally, and soon also had interest from other countries. Luckily Mielie established a loyal customer base pretty quickly. The shops that Adri supplied from the beginning have been very supportive and encouraging.

Initially Adri worked only with Epilepsy South Africa, but soon they had more orders than they could cope with, and Adri also needed to work hands-on with some crafters to see if her designs were working. For this reason she recruited a couple of people who would work around her dining room table… until they ran out of space and rented a container at Montebello Design Centre, where they are still based. They still work with some of the original Epilepsy South Africa crafters, and they currently provide a regular income for some 45 people. The men mostly stitch on leather handles and finish the bags and the women weave. Weavers work from home in the informal settlements in Khayelitsha and bring their work in to the workshop – a large loft at Montebello with integrated shop - on a Thursday, when it gets checked for quality, their wages get calculated and new work gets issued. Thursdays are usually very busy and noisy!

When Mielie was commissioned to do a wall-hanging for the entrance of BP South Africa’s head quarters in the Waterfront - it was to measure 3.5m x 6m – about twenty times larger than any project they had ever tackled before, Adri realised that Mielie was not just a little project but an enterprise that big companies took seriously and believed in.

As for marketing the business, the first line of advertising is the bags and products themselves. Mielie try to maintain very high standards of design and finishing. Magazines also often use products on shoots in South Africa and Adri recently also started a blog, http://fa.mielie.com which has been very well received and readership grows every month. A catalogue and promotional materials are produced on a regular basis.

Mielie has been very cautiously by reinvesting any money back into the business. Cash-flow is a big problem, but ever since they have implemented a deposit system, they have managed cash-flow much better. Work is also quite seasonal and Adri tries to encourage export orders in winter, which is traditionally a very slow time for Mielie. Adri also use the winter months to dream up some new products or to perfect existing ones. Because Mielie is a social enterprise, any profits are always re-invested into the business or into charitable causes like the Dora Tamana pre-school in Khayelitsha, the organic vegetable garden or fire extinguishers for the townships.
The ethos of Mielie is simple – respect. Believe in yourself and respect your own opinions. Respect that sometimes you get it wrong and learn from those mistakes, respect other people and their opinions. Ask people you admire for advice – you will be surprised how forthcoming they are, especially people in creative industries.

As well as the core values of respect, Mielie aims to encourage creative talent and to enjoy the thrill of seeing an abstract, vague idea turn into a beautiful product. It is also important to Adri that she can see so many wonderful women (and a couple of men) blossom with the peace-of-mind that earning a regular income brings. At Mielie the mission is to create jobs in a sustainable manner and to try not to diversify too much – it could dilute your energy before you are ready.

To sum up, Mielie uses creativity and beauty to put food on peoples’ tables – all the while developing a good relationship with the bank manager!