Newspaper fashion baroness

The 32-year-old mother of two started the company in 2005 and now employs 35 women in Gamalakhe near Port Shepstone, KwaZulu Natal. Sokhulu, who used to work in Cape Town, discovered the multiple uses of newspaper while trying to come up with a unique material for her range of clothing and accessories. Newspaper is pliable, easy to obtain and can be manipulated into any shape or form.

The products are all handmade and varnished to make them water and heat resistant.

"We've started to expand into a new range of handbags, called the Celebrity Line, which is stylish and everything you need in a bag," says Sokhulu. "What we are trying to do is keep it organic but sexy."

There's growing demand for Back2Life products overseas as everyone gets more 'green' conscious.

Locally Sokhulu is partnering agents to market her wares to retailers. Working with her is a textile expert from Switzerland. The success of the business is due partly to the fact that costs are low.

And because the items are handmade, the enterprise is suitable for the rural environment in which it is based. “Business is picking up nicely” despite the recession, and customers are proud of their contribution to reducing the carbon footprint, she says.

Form more information, see: http://www.back2life.co.za/

Source: Financial Mail

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