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Ethical accessories and a story: We All Share Roots

Smath — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 14:42:58 +0000

Hello everyone! I’m Elise, the founder of WeAllShareRoots (ethical handbags). I’m French but based in Cape Town since 2014 and locked down at home, in Tamboerskloof, with my husband and two girls, a 3-year old and a 5-month old, due to Covid-19.

I grew up in Paris but, by moving to Cape Town, I discovered that I am much more a nature-lover than a city-girl… or I’m probably a mix of both! I’m totally in love with South Africa, and this is actually why I decided to create my ethical brand: working with the townships, bringing income and skills where they are highly needed, and promoting Cape Town vibe and fashion, is somehow my way to give back to this amazing country.

And I think we can also say that I’m a colour and accessory lover. Have a look to our bags and you’ll get a sense of it! There is nothing I like more than a smart casual outfit enhanced by a unique, colourful, unexpected accessory. Bags are ideal for that, you can be so creative and show a glimpse of your unique personality with it!

WeAllshareRoots offers a variety of handcrafted bags, all of them created in limited editions. From the beach bag to the clutch, all our items are locally designed and handmade. We try our best to be as ethical as possible.

For example, for the sewing and the assembly of the bags, we work with a small CMT, based in SeaWinds / Lavender Hill. These underprivileged communities suffer from unemployment and gangsterism. By bringing them work and enabling our seamstresses to work from their home, we help them to take care of their families and put bread on the table. We also help them to grow, get new machines, prospect new clients, etc. Our success has to be theirs.

Also in 2018, we decided to launch a 100% vegan range, made out of Piñatex (a natural leather alternative made from pineapple leaf fibres). This new and innovative material is intended to be a sustainable alternative to the mass production of leather and pollutants, thus enabling a responsible choice for a better future. Made from natural wastes, with a low water use and reduced waste production, this material does not contain any harmful or animal chemicals. We are very proud of the result and are in love with our colourful and mindful range of vegan clutches!

In the current context, we are more convinced than ever that the future belongs to ethical, small, human-oriented brands. And we count on everybody’s support to make it true.

The venture started in 2016… I cannot believe that it will be soon our 4th anniversary! Creating a brand from scratch, with no similar experience before, is such a challenge. I have done most of the work by myself and I am now lucky to have the help of a tiny team (we’re two, plus an intern!). It is difficult to be on everything, but you have to. Producing means purchasing materials, looking for the best suppliers and options, spending time designing, explaining processes to the production team, overseeing quality etc. And once you have your product, the work is not over, you need to sell it! For this part, Hello Pretty is such a huge help, offering an online and user-friendly platform!

Also, in the four years of WeAllShareRoots, I had two pregnancies and two babies… I guess that I am a good example of a "mumtrepreneur"! It is hard to find the good balance but having two little girls gives me more motivation even to do good, to help other working mothers in the townships, to teach my kids to be mindful human beings and to show them that women can do anything as good as men! ?

There are a lot of highs and lows in a professional life and probably even more when you’re driving your own business. Thankfully, I almost never have complaints about my products (top quality is one of our core objectives) but I can be very sensitive with anything going wrong with my business. Actually, I have learnt to not over-react, to put my emotions aside and to "digest" before taking any action. On the other hand, there is nothing I appreciate more than a positive comment, a like on a post or sweet feedback from a customer. We handle every single order, we handwrite the names of our customer, we always wonder if they ordered for a special occasion or how they found us… We are just so happy when we receive a message after our shipment was received!

I saw once a quote saying “when you buy from a small business, an actual person does a little happy dance”, this is SO true!

I would recommend to anyone willing to sell on Hello Pretty to curate pictures and descriptions. It is important to think about your customer experience. Buying online is not always easy, you need to get a sense of the size, the materials etc. It is crucial to try to bring the maximum of information to those you are on your eshop, it will help them to make up their minds and better understand your offer.

And because we know that this Coronavirus crisis is hitting hard on everyone’s finances and mood, we decided to offer 10% discount on certain items during the lockdown and for some time after. We will also be helping our dear seamstresses giving them back 5% of all online sales from Hello Pretty. They also need all our support and help in these difficult times.

Stay home, stay safe and take care of yourselves, beautiful people.

Hello Pretty local designer items on sale in December!

Smath — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 09:49:57 +0000

'Tis the season to get baking, and we're doing just that with these sweet cookie cutters from The Cookie Cutter Co!

They're only R38, and come in tonnes of shapes. Click here to browse The Cookie Cutter Co range of every cookie cutter shape your heart could dream of.

Pictured above, we have some really pretty earrings for you that are on a limited-time special now:

Left: Geometric Circular Earrings. SALE! R350 (was R450). By Natasha Wood Jewellery.
Middle: Square Gilt Tube Studs. SALE! R175 (was R250). By SMITH Jewellery.
Right: Pottery Half-Circle Earrings. SALE! R196 (was R230). By The Matchy Matchy Collection.

Left: Waterproof Beach Bag SALE! R670 (was R790). By We All Share Roots.
Top right: Two Stackable Wine Racks. SALE! R320 (was R380). By Bokke & Blomme.
Bottom right: Diagonal Frame Lamp. SALE! R340 (was R380). By Folksy Fine.

And finally, the four pretties in the image above are:

Top left: Designer Wooden Handbag. SALE! R580 (was R680). By Designer Wooden Bags.
Top right: Rise Alarm Clock. SALE! R1 314 (was R2 190). By Shibby Beats.
Bottom left: Sterling Silver Circle Studs. SALE! R500 (was R580). By Jessica Jane Jewellery.
Bottom right: The Daphne Scatter Cushion Cover. SALE! R275 (was R325). By Harper Lily Design.

We hope you find something beautiful! Enjoy your weekend, pretty shoppers ?
Sam xx

Happy Spring 2020 from Hello Pretty ?

Smath — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 04:11:33 +0000

For us, spring is blossoms, flowers & greenery, vibrance in fashion and decor, and explosions of colour everywhere. So this week, we've got a bit of that for you. We love these locally-made items and we hope you do too.

Remember, any of these items you purchase are coming directly from the hands of the people who make them. There's no better way to #supportsmall and #lovezabuyza.

Enjoy! ?

Here's three pairs of earrings from Heuningblom's Spring range. We love them all! You'll definitely want to go browse her shop because she has piles of beauties at very affordable prices.

Left: Spring Dangle Earrings 09 - R100.
Middle: Spring Dangle Earrings 05 - R110.
Right: Spring Dangle Earrings 16 - R100.

Left: Monstera Leaf Wall Printable. SALE! R70 (was R100).
Made by Papaya Paradise.

Top right: Botanical Fynbos Face Mask. R95.
Made by CoralBloom.

Bottom right: Half Round Spring Colours Pendant. R450.
Made by dor&kie jewellery objects.

Top Left: Ethereal Botanicals Print (A1). R1 300.
Made by Sonny Mo Arts.

Bottom Left: Peach & Maroon Flower Crown. SALE!! R199 (was R299).
Made by Black Eyed Susan.

Right: Spring Blossom Towel. SALE! R450 (was R480).
Made by Design Butter.

Left: .Flower Power Earrings. SALE! R550 (was R650).
2-in-1 beauties: wear them like in the picture or slip off the flowers and wear them as hoops. Made by La Mae.

Right: Botanical Africa Necklace. R500.
A collaboration range between Jessica Jane Jewellery and Hallo Jane.

We're OPEN FOR BUSINESS during COVID-19 lockdown! Some need-to-know info

Smath — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 09:15:26 +0000

It's bad enough that we're worried for ours and our loved ones' health, wellbeing, livelihood and whether or not we'll have toilet paper - we don't want you to lose your online shopping too!

Hello Pretty is business as usual, but remember: we're an online marketplace, not an online shop, just the same as Bidorbuy. When you buy something on Hello Pretty, you're buying directly from the person who makes what you've ordered. We provide the platform so that small independent businesses can sell their things to you.

By using Hello Pretty to buy directly from the creative talent whose hands are actually making what you buy, you're supporting a small business, and probably a little family. You're also supporting our own small business, Hello Pretty - we're an owner-run tiny team of 3 people and we want to keep doing what we love, which is to support other people doing what they love. Also: you do not need to don a mask and skulk down any aisles in fear, when you're shopping online.

So, as a shopper, here's the skinny: It's business as usual over here, but in order to not break the law, no orders will be shipped until we taste our glorious freedom from lockdown. So you should assume a minimum of a 3 to 4 week delay on receiving your order, over and above the existing shipping lead times that each seller has set.

We of course are here to protect you, should you run into any issues with your order post-lockdown. We are also communicating with our sellers and asking them to please be extra communicative with you. They and you will get one another's contact details when you place your order, so that you can be in touch with one another.

Thanks for your patience and understanding during this very peculiar time, and thank you for supporting us and our sellers. Our team will be here to assist any customers or sellers who run into any issues.

Stay safe, and we love you all for sticking with us,
Sam.

PS This situation is very fluid; pretty much everything is subject to change and we'll do our best to communicate if it does.

Unisex gifts for kids & babies ?

Smath — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 14:56:47 +0000

Your baby's bedding should be as good as, or better than, your own, and we have the perfect option: the charcoal melange cot duvet set, made by Lola&Peach. Luxurious, soft, jersey knit. And at only R510 this one's a real winner if you're stuck for a gift. Also available in pink.

Not everyone wants to go the classic blue-for-boys, pink-for-girls route for their little ones. Or maybe you're shopping for a gift for a friend who's keeping their baby's gender a surprise. On Hello Pretty you'll find a boat-load of quality, unique options suitable for any baby or child, so prepare yourself for an exciting browse-athon!

Our featured designer for today is Ruby Stitches Baby & Kids Decor. They have an adorable range of wall hangings for kids. We've featured their more neutral ones here, but they have in a whole variety of colours and styles (and animals!). One of our favourites is their rainbow wall hanging, which you get personalised with a child's name.

Left: Buttons Bear wall hanging (personalised) - R440.
Middle: Snuggles Bunny wall hanging (personalised) - R440.
Right: Cuddles Bear wall hanging (personalised) - R440.

Left: Cotton Teepee. R1 200. Made by Willow and Wolfe.
Kids adore a hideaway.

Top right: Pom Pom Crib Blanket. R800. Made by Baby Couture.
All handmade, 100% cotton and it comes in three colour options.

Bottom right: Face Rug. R995. Made by My Little Sunshine.
We love this for a nursery playmat.

Top left: Two-Rex Second Birthday Tee. R170. Little Lion Cub Boutique.
A terrific tee for the terrible twos!

Bottom left: Natural Baby Balm. R170 (was R180). Made by Le Naturel.
With tea tree, buchu and lavender oils.

Right: Koala Onesie. R750. Made by Afreaka Clothing.
We all have koalas on our minds at the moment. ?

Left: Triblox 18cm Photo Blocks. R200.
Photoblox has loads of options for printing photos onto thick pine plywood.

Right: Rawrsome Dinosaur Cupcake Kit. R220.
What kid wouldn't want to create cupcakes looking like these little guys? Made by Annie's Baking Club.

Meet Olivia, the designer behind handmade boho- & travel-inspired home brand, Wild Minds

Smath — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 20:48:24 +0000

Hi everyone! My name is Olivia and I am the mind behind Wild Minds :)

I design wooden (and hopefully soon, metal!) wall hangings, dreamcatchers and other bits and pieces for the home. I am hugely inspired by festival culture and style, and absolutely everything bohemian. I also love to travel, and that has introduced me to many different cultures and their spiritual symbols, which I have incorporated into several of my artworks.

Wild Minds began from my home in Cape Town around 3 years ago. I had designed place names for wedding tables which I had then had laser cut from wood. I realised how many possibilities there were with laser cutting and started designing decorative wall hangings (initially for myself) as I could never find exactly what I wanted elsewhere. When I got my first samples back, it hit me that I should make this into a business, and Wild Minds was born!

It has been a massive learning curve as I do everything myself - from the initial designs and hand-painting, to website management, sales, packaging & shipping and accounting to name a few. I would say that has been the biggest challenge, although it has definitely taught me a lot along the way!

Having your own business can sometimes be a real test - there are often days where I stop and wonder if my work is good enough, if I'm wasting my time on a pipe dream, and if I am ever going to be able to make a real success of it. Your confidence can take a real knock when sales aren't pouring in. However, when I send a piece off to the other side of the world or I get to collaborate on a custom design with a customer or another maker, it's really exciting and I love every second of it.

Receiving a lovely piece of feedback after a lot of hard work also makes everything feel worthwhile - I don't know if my customers ever realise just how much it means to me to hear how happy they are with something I have made just for them. When I think about all the people across the globe that now have a little piece of my artwork displayed in their home, I feel really proud of myself that I have managed to get to this point and I hope it continues!

The best part is that I get to be creative and do something I love every day. Even the more mundane tasks are just a reminder of the fact that I have built a little business by myself, and that's a great feeling.

My advice to other sellers out there would be to just keep pushing forward, keep creating and being inspired, and stay positive! Set backs happen, but when you put yourself out there to showcase your work, you are doing it because you are passionate about it, and thats the most important reason of all.

A platform like Hello Pretty is so valuable for us small business owners as it gives us the means to get online, get selling and extend our reach to people who may not necessarily have ever discovered our work. So make the most of it and enjoy!

You can find me on Hello Pretty under Wild Minds, on Instagram at @x.wild.minds.x and on Facebook at facebook.com/wildminds.sa.

This blog post is one in Hello Pretty's guest blog series. Each post is written by a person who is running their online store through South Africa's favourite art, design & craft marketplace.

If you'd like to more view guest posts in this series, and other posts where we interview local businesses, click here.

Wanna write a guest post on Hello Pretty? Email us at info@hellopretty.co.za to find out more.

8 unique Valentine's Day gifts for men ? ?

Smath — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 19:52:05 +0000

Valentine's Day shopping is in full swing, and for a sentimental occasion like this, the order of the day is personal. You'll find some unique, personalisable stuff on Hello Man and Hello Pretty. Dare we say, the best unique personalised stuff.

The thing we're excited to show you today is the handmade brass vintage-style engraved wallet made by Trekker Grooming & Gear. They say:

"This Brass wallet is handmade from 100% South African materials, and designed to age gracefully over time, developing a patina unique to you. Each wallet we make will have slight differences, and no two will ever be exactly alike.

Add your personal touch! This wallet is designed to last a long, long time: Get it engraved on the back, ready to be passed on to the next generation."

Click here to shop.

Some favourite rings from La Mae's men's range:
Left: Brushed tungsten ring with polished sides. R1 600.
Middle: Brushed 6mm wide tungsten ring with rose gold plating inside. R1 600.
Right: Black tungsten ring with rose gold plating. R1 600.

Top left: Sterling Silver Embossed Cufflinks. R900. Made by Eon Hoon Jewellery Design.
Another of Eon's beautiful contemporary designs.

Top right: Sterling Silver Wallet Insert. R1 200. Made by RubyRose Jewellery.
Something precious for him to keep between his bank and loyalty cards.

Bottom left: A4 Stag Canvas Print. R300. Made by E.M.A. Photography Design.
A minimalist statement piece, available in different sizes.

Bottom right: Sterling Silver Twisted Bracelet. R1 200. Made by MD Jewellery Design.
We love this unique solid silver bangle. It'll make high-quality addition to his wardrobe.

Jewellery SALE now on!

Smath — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 17:12:33 +0000

Ok. It's January. It's been Christmas, and holidays, and just generally... a lot. BUT: we have some incredible sales on jewellery (and more) on Hello Pretty and now's the perfect time for you to give yourself a pretty little pick-me-up.

In the photo above we have a solid rose gold and quartz ring from MD Jewellery Design that is on special with R500 discount! Usually R1 500, now only R1 000 . For. Solid. Gold! No, there's no catch.

? Click here to shop.

These three beauts are from Glove Jewellery. Glove is special to us because they're one of our oldest sellers on Hello Pretty. The products featured in the list above are:

Left: Handmade sterling silver lion picture disc necklace.    Was R310, now R155.
Middle: Sterling silver / rose or yellow gold plated custom initial necklace.    Was R320, now R140  .
Right: Sterling silver giraffe picture disc necklace.    Was R310, now R155  .

Left: Sterling Silver & Resin Earings. by Natasha Wood.     Was R750, now R650
Top right: Dainty Flower Bracelet by La Mae Jewellery.    Was R780, now R650  .
Bottom right: Brass Goldfish Necklace by SMITH Jewellery.    Was R875, now R400  .

Top left: Dawn Bracelet. Was R200, now R100. Made by Lula Creations.

Top right: Dusk Bracelet. Was R200, now R100. Made by Lula Creations.

Bottom left: Reclaimed Porcelain Necklace. Was R600, now R300. Made by Nonnapot.

Bottom right: Black Diamond Rose Gold Studs. Was R1 950, now R1 600. Made by MD Handmade Jewellery.

Are you sick of your kids yet?

Smath — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 14:19:04 +0000

It's almost the start of the new school year. After such a lovely long break with family, we're betting everyone is 100% ready to cruise back into their routines and kick 2020 off to a great start!

Our team is full-swing into planning and making goals for the year. We have some super sweet stuff in the works that we're excited to show you! In the banner above is 5 Things' A2 desk planner. Having a visual display of your intentions, and writing them down, is a very effective way to keep inspired and on-track. We're on-paper girls for that and having it all laid out in a structured way we can 100% recommend.

imadethat.studio is an awesome little business with a big heart. All their stuff is made from upcycled and off-cut pieces of fabric, meaning less in the landfills.

Left: All Spice Leather Backpack - R1 850. Sweshwe-lined interior with lots of pockets
Top right: Genuine Leather Backpack - R1 850. Buy it, so you can borrow it.
Bottom right: Seventyfour Leather Backpack - R2 350. A thing of beauty in full-grain leather.

Left: Giant Pin Pencil Bag - R120. Made by i Spy.
Middle: Love | Evolution Hold-All - R145. Made by That's so ME!
Right: Vespa Pencil Bag - R179. Made by oli+frank.

Top left: You Got This! Notebook - R85. New year, new teacher, new friends, new lessons - so daunting! Love & Sparkles is here to reassure.

Top right: She Believed She Could Notebook - R150. Remind your kids: they can be or do anything they want to. A notebook from Cool Creations will do the trick.

Bottom left: Wooden Spiral Notebook - R250. It's made of wood, but don't worry, it's varnished so you won't get splinters ;) From Nice.

Bottom right: Flamingo Notebook Set - R140. Flamingoes & feathers! A cheery, fun set of notebooks being sold by To the Moon & Back Paper Studio.

Tips and Tricks to having your stall stand out.

porchia — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 06:40:33 +0000

Hello Pretty Spicy Designers!

Hope you all are awesome and super excited for the Pretty Spicy Market.
The time has finally come for you all to take out the big guns and we are here to help guide you.

Market season has come, so that means the preps can begin! But lets be honest, the competition between vendors is killing… So let us help you to be your very best on the big day and the talk of the market.

But how will your stall stand out in a big crowd of others? Well, with the following tips and tricks of course!

First of all, maybe the most important thing to keep in mind is that the presentation of your stall must be on point. The lay out must be irresistible, So people have no choice but to check your products out.

You can do all kinds of different things to make your stall look cute and fun! Like a nice tablecloth, some flowers, hek even a Bicycle.The point is be creative!

Don’t put to many items of a one product on the table you dont want it to look chaotic, Its not presentable and definitely not attractive.

Try to make your table look organized so that the people can have a nice overview of what you are selling and not end up being confused.