Decorex effects still happening in Eastern Cape

Coffee Bay's crafter Nomonde Madlalisa and ten other women from Coffee Bay's Masisizane Women project (MWP), crafters of beadwork, baskets, Xhosa traditional wear and wood carvings, have been invited to the Santa Fair exhibition in Mpumalanga from August to September 2011.

First-time exhibitor, Stephanie Bester has received orders from Standard Bank, two of her pieces are being sent to the Guichard gallery in Chicago and she has been invited by Londolozi Game Reserve to do etchings.

ECDC creative industry business advisor Yandiswa Sodada says the advantage of Decorex Johannesburg is that it captures the attention of targeted audiences under one roof, where crafters from around the country can sell their products. This year, 10 international buyers from Germany and the United States were invited by the dti.

According to Sodada, participating craft enterprises who apply for the support through ECDC, are selected by the Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA), an unit of the dti.