At Pooky, we’re privileged to work with lots of fabulous people. One of the most fabulous people (in our humble opinion) is Jane Taylor, the founder of the Collaborative Crafts Project (CCP).
The team at CCP, led by Jane, works closely with Artisan Communities throughout Zimbabwe & regionally to design, develop, and make handmade homeware that is beautiful and functional. The new collection of lighting they have produced for us here at Pooky are all handwoven using Ilala palm, which is sustainably grown and harvested locally.
Jane, by her admission, has always been a keen adventurer. When she was offered the chance to work on a game reserve in Zimbabwe at the age of 21, she jumped at the chance, leaving London to start a new life in South Africa. And the rest, you might say, is history!
As we celebrate the launch of our newest collaboration with CCP, we asked Jane to chat with us about the inspiring story behind the brand…
How did Collaborative Craft Projects begin?
With no access to shops to equip our camps, we were forced to make do with hurried trips to South Africa or through auctions and house sales. I’d always loved having beautiful things in my home, so this was frustrating. I started designing and building relationships with local communities, commissioning artisans to create authentic crafts and unique homewares. Eventually, I converted this pure passion project into a formal business.
It has taken time, tenacity, and years of hard work to have the courage and the resources to do this, and it's only through perseverance and determination that we have managed to achieve the CCP we see today.
What began as two tiny communities has now evolved into 25 communities across Zimbabwe and the region. While I don't claim to be Zimbabwean, I am proud to call Zimbabwe my home, and through CCP, we have created a kind of sisterhood that goes beyond any traditional framework.
What is the Ethos behind the brand?
Women’s empowerment and the preservation of their culture and heritage are at the core of what we do. The designs, methods and techniques used go back generations and are in danger of dying out as people search for synthetic, quick-fix alternatives.
Life is tough in Zimbabwe and continues to get tougher. The women here are the absolute backbone of society. Through crafts, produced by their own two hands, we can give these women financial autonomy, which is the foundation of independence and freedom of choice. Additionally, the sense of community and belonging this work provides indirectly has a wonderful impact. The weekly meetings under a shady tree offer a chance to chat, sing, vent, and create. This is an essential part of the process and is embedded in every product they produce. Every woman has complete pride in their work; it is amazing to see women who have so little create so much.
I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to support and work alongside these women, who are all “ambassadors to artisans” . Through relationships like Pooky, we are able to provide the opportunity to develop unique and high-quality products for a worldwide audience and facilitate these products reaching the global market. That’s something we couldn’t have imagined in our wildest dreams, in our tiny landlocked country in the middle of Africa!
The Pooky shades are made from the Ilala palm, why is this so special?
The tall, skinny ilala palm tree is prolific in the tribal trust lands of the Binga district, propagated naturally through the dung of roaming wild elephants. It’s a tough, hardy tree, recognized as a sustainable resource. The ilala palms are a valuable resource in this district and its people rely heavily on these trees to sustain themselves and create income. All weavers are responsible for their own mini plantations and harvesting their own raw materials for the projects we work on together. No chemicals are used in the process, all curing is done naturally by the sun and simple hand-hewn tools are made for the precise slicing and paring of the palm fronds to achieve the fine strips used in the shade and all the baskets we produce at CCP.
The chocolate brown colour used to weave the authentic BaTonga designs is achieved by using the bark of another tree which is rendered down to an oxide - a concentrated powder which is also traded in the district to help service the needs of the thousands of makers resident here. The male members of the community often assist in this process and it becomes a communal effort. The tree is unaffected by this process and regenerates naturally over time.
Finally, what are your ambitions for CCP?
We will continue to expand our global reach and work hand in hand with our artisan partners to develop unique and special handwoven products for the export market, whilst collaborating with like minded brands that share our ethos and values. We have high hopes for our small brand and look forward to sharing these developments with our growing community.
See more about the work of Collaborative Craft Projects on their website and follow them on Instagram @collaborative_craft_projects.
Shop the Pooky x Collaborative Craft Projects collection here.
