The Craft and Design Institute

08/10/2026

Meet the speakers for our next Creative Exchange (CX)
Material Futures: New Materials, Real Applications.

The CX looks at how new recycled, circular and bio-based materials are developed, tested and brought into real products.

🎙️ Moderator: Nikolas Botha, Co-founder, Fabric
Nikolas is a designer, scientist and engineer with a postgraduate degree in Materials Science, so he understands both the technical and creative sides of the subject. 🔬

🗣️ The Speakers:
Niall Elassi, Co-founder, Plastic Pioneers ♻️
Niall works with designers and businesses to turn plastic waste into practical products with a longer life. He is a firm believer in learning through making.

Jackie May, Editor and Founder, Twyg 👗
As editor and founder of Twyg, Jackie has been spotlighting material innovation and circular practice across fashion, textiles and design since 2018.

Wendren Setzer, Founder, The Wren Design 🧵
Wendren turned a career in textile design into The Wren Design, a proudly South African brand built on sustainability and local craftsmanship that also creates local jobs.

Come early and enjoy some lunch while you chat to exhibitors before joining the panel discussion.

📅: Tuesday, 13 October
🕰️: 13:00 to 15:00
📍: CDI, Suite 1.11, 1st Floor, Cape Town Cruise Terminal, V&A Waterfront

🎟️ Free with your Summit ticket. Register for the Summit with code CDI100 and select our Session 6 in Block 2, Day 2.

🔗 Register now: https://shorturl.at/B6CaM

Seats are limited, please only register if you're confident you can attend in-venue.

07/10/2026

Looking for extra creative hands? Host a Red & Yellow School student this October.

Red & Yellow's 2026 Workplace Learning Programme is looking for creative businesses to host emerging talent for three weeks, from Monday 19 October to Friday 6 November. The students are studying Visual Communication, Graphic Design and Digital Content Creation, and they arrive prepared, motivated and ready to contribute to real projects.

What's in it for you:
✔ Extra capacity on live projects
✔ Fresh perspectives and creative energy
✔ A first look at future hires before they enter the market
✔ A chance to invest in the next generation of creative professionals
✔ No cost to you

What's asked of you:
• Host 1 to 2 students (or more) for the three weeks
• Offer meaningful project exposure and mentorship
• Share insight into your team's workflow and creative process

Interested? Contact Clint Pietersen at [email protected] for more information

02/10/2026

Apply for up to R1 million in business innovation funding

Applications for the third cohort of the Orange Corners Innovation Fund (OCIF) GROW programme are now open.

Visit www.cdicapital.co.za/OCIF

OCIF GROW is part of the global Orange Corners incubation and acceleration programme, an initiative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands that supports young entrepreneurs across Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

We are looking for innovative, youth-owned (18-35 years) businesses across South Africa that already have market traction and the potential to scale, create jobs and grow their impact.

With a mix of grant funding and interest-free loans, an 8-week Raise Ready financing readiness programme, one-on-one support and pitch coaching, this initiative, powered by CDI Capital, a subsidiary of the Craft and Design Institute (CDI), is designed to fuel the next wave of South African innovation.

If you're building something extraordinary, now is the time to apply.

Stage 1 applications are open until 30 October 2026.
Apply today: https://shorturl.at/bCJTA

Business owners are encouraged to register for the information session taking place on 13 October at 10am (online).
Visit https://shorturl.at/ygey6 to register for the session

Follow:
Orange Corners
Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa
Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland - RVO
Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken

01/10/2026

📢 CREATIVE EXCHANGE INVITATION

♻️ MATERIAL FUTURES: NEW MATERIALS, REAL APPLICATIONS 🌱

Join us at our Creative Exchange (CX), part of the South Africa 2026 Local Circularity Summit and E-Waste Festival, to see new recycled, circular and bio-based materials up close and find out how they become real products.

Whether you're a student, designer, maker or entrepreneur, there's something for you to learn. Come early and enjoy some lunch while you chat to exhibitors.

Exhibition and Lunch (13:00)
Come early to see and handle the materials for yourself, from recycled plastic boards to a cellulose-based plastic alternative. Ask how they were developed, tested and made, and what they can do.

Panel Discussion (14:00)
Hear three local practitioners working across fashion and textiles, product design and manufacturing share what they've learnt bringing new materials into real products: what the trends mean for your work, how strength and durability are proven, and what changes when production scales up.

An honest conversation about what works, where the challenges remain and what it takes.

📅 Tuesday, 13 October
🕰️ 13:00 to 15:00
📍 CDI, Suite 1.1, 1st Floor, Cape Town Cruise Terminal, V&A Waterfront

🎟️ Free with your Summit ticket. Register for the Summit with code CDI100 and select our Session 6 in Block 2.

Register now: https://shorturl.at/1bEox

As seats are limited, please only register if you're confident you can attend in-venue.

01/10/2026

Calling all beaders, weavers, crocheters, potters, textile artists, wire-workers, traditional craft practitioners, and anyone who makes with their hands. This is for YOU!

The Mzansi Craft Council (MCC) is South Africa's new national craft organisation, an initiative of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. It exists to represent, unify and advocate for crafters across all disciplines, from established makers to emerging ones, in cities and rural villages alike.

Join MCC, together with Craft and Design Institute (CDI), on 6 October to hear the plans, find out how to get involved, get registered and stay informed. This is the start of a stronger, more visible, more supported craft economy.

Come early. Come with your craft. Come with your questions.

📅 6 October 2026
🕰️ 10h00
📍 CDI, Suite 1.11, 1st Floor, Cape Town Cruise Terminal, V&A Waterfront

RSVP: https://shorturl.at/cTWhF

More info:
📧 mzansicraftcouncil.co.za
☎️ 021 461 1488

Tag a crafter who needs to be in this room! 👇🏾

23/09/2026

Please note that our office will be closed on Friday, 25 September 2026, and will reopen on Monday, 28 September 2026.

We’ll respond to any enquiries as soon as possible upon our return.

Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to connecting with you again next week.

10/09/2026

The Craft & Design Institute's work for our members goes beyond managing programmes and projects, it also means being on the ground, scouting trends and ideas that can benefit South African design.

This week, while we are in Paris for Design Week we took a turn past the Hôtel de la Marine, home to Hanjimania, an exhibition celebrating design and craftsmanship where French designers and Korean master artisans create pieces inspired by hanji, traditional Korean mulberry paper, soon to be listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

CDI Group CEO, Erica Elk shares her thoughts:

"What stood out was the attention to detail of every thing in this 250 year old building - from the intricate floors to the chandeliers, the doorknobs and cornices, the joinery, the embroidery, the weaving and layering.

You can see that someone, many people, have taken so much care to show respect for materials, tools and the end user and their own mastery. The colour-on-colour, pattern-on-pattern, and objects are deeply rooted in culture and heritage that still feel completely of their time, and ours.

Sometimes, as creatives, I feel that we work too fast and the result becomes superficial. Quality, detail, and craftsmanship are timeless. Will what we are making now stand the test of time?

That's exactly the standard I want our South African designers to keep striving for."

08/09/2026

SHOPPE OBJECT Paris has wrapped up for another year, and for many of our entrepreneurs, the real impact of this opportunity is really just getting started.

It's what happens next, the relationships, the orders, the momentum, that becomes the true measure of this experience.

Here's what four of our entrepreneurs had to say:-

'CDI was incredible in helping us get here, preparing us with tips on pricing, shipping and buyer information, and accommodating all our requests around the stand and design. We're truly thankful, and we're already looking forward to building on the relationships we made with buyers at the show, hopefully seeing some great orders come from it.'
- Petra Lemmer, The Cotton Company

'It's a fantastic opportunity to grow our brand in Europe. We've already had great interest in some of our pieces, and I'm looking forward to seeing that turn into orders, both now and in the long run.'
- Paul Whitehead, Major John

'It's been a wonderful position to exhibit at the show, and we're so thankful for CDI's support, not just financially, but with all the organisation and guidance, answering our questions and helping with new ideas. It's given us real exposure to interested buyers, and we're already looking ahead to future opportunities.'
- Paula Goosen, Paula G Homeware

'This opportunity means so much because it shows me that what I've built isn't for nothing, that people can see the consistency and the work I've put in. Running a business on your own is difficult, so every bit of support gives you the energy and gratitude to keep going. My biggest dream is to build proper, lasting relationships with buyers, and this feels like a step toward that.'
- Michele Kapilevich, Karoo Baba

08/09/2026

07/09/2026

As SHOPPE OBJECT Paris wraps up today, we're reflecting on everything that made this opportunity possible for our entrepreneurs.

Being here isn't just about the trade floor, it's about everything that leads up to it. For our entrepreneurs, this opportunity has meant guidance, exposure, and years of growth that go far beyond the show itself. We spoke to three more of them about what that preparation has meant.

Mbali Mthethwa, The Herd Studio:
'This opportunity has given me access to markets and audiences I wouldn't normally reach, all in a concentrated period of time. It's also allowed me to see what's happening globally in terms of production and creative standards.'

Bonolo Chepape, Lulasclan:
'Being part of CDI over the years has really equipped me as a creative entrepreneur to understand the global market, and to bring a locally produced South African product into that space. I'm grateful for CDI's continuous mission to empower South African creatives, and this is such an important milestone for my business.'

Nehanda Magan, Nehanda Design:
'CDI has been instrumental in preparing me for a trade show like Shoppe Object Paris, hands-on every step of the way, from answering my questions to advising me on how to navigate the platform. It's a great way to expand my retail base internationally, with exposure I otherwise couldn't afford.'