Sisal Scouring Pad

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.