Scouring pad sisal

Hand knit scouring pad made of sturdy sisal. It will thoroughly scour dishes, pots and pans without scratching them. To keep the pad in shape, regularly rinse and dry it out well. When it has come to the end of its tour of duty, you can decommission it on the compost heap.

Julia Schaffer is developing functional items for day-to-day use for the Spaza label in South Africa. They're made from regional, bio-degradable raw materials, and, even more importantly, they can be manufactured by hand. They are crafted by South African women in Manenberg, a town near Cape Town infamous for its high crime rate. In the Cape Flats as the townships of Cape Town are also called, it is sometimes so dangerous that one is advised to stay at home. The women who crochet and knit for Spaza receive their materials at home, and the finished items are later picked up, as a security measure. The women are completely flexible and can work when they have time and still take care of children and relatives. And they are spared the not inconsiderable journey to the city. Payment is in cash, which provides the women with their own source of income independent of their husbands. And, they receive health insurance and pay into a small pension fund.
The small informal stores in South Africa are typically called "Spaza Shops". They most often offer day-to-day items in private rooms in the townships. They arose out of necessity because with the expansion of the settlements the journey to the nearest supermarket was simply too far.

Under the label Spaza, Julia Schaffer develops functional things for everyday use that can be made from regional, biodegradable raw materials and - more importantly - by hand. Because production is done by South African women in Manenberg, a town near Cape Town known and notorious for its high crime rate. In the Cape Flats of Cape Town, as the townships of Cape Town are also called, it is sometimes so dangerous that it is better not to leave your home. The women who crochet and knit for Spaza don't have to, either, because the materials are delivered to their homes and the finished items are picked up later. This gives them complete flexibility to work whenever time permits, while at the same time taking care of their children and relatives. And they are spared the sometimes immensely long journeys to the city. They are paid in cash on site, which allows the women to earn a small income of their own, independent of their husbands. In addition, they have health insurance and pay into a small pension fund.
In South Africa, "spaza stores" are the small informal stores that usually offer everyday necessities in private rooms in the townships. They arose out of necessity, because with the growing settlements the distances to the city or to the next supermarket became too far.