Fly local, buy local

Come back from your next kulula trip with some great local products to show off to family and friends …

“Oh, it’s just a cheeky small-batch wine that I picked up from a tiny estate outside Cape Town,” you say nonchalantly around the braai, or “These? There’s a little shop in East London that makes them for you specially”, or “Well, yes, Johannesburg is famous for this; I get mine from a place in Rosebank”.
South Africans are spoiled for choice when it comes to high-quality, luxury items—creative, artisanal pieces and feel-good, local-is-lekker finds. So make sure you leave a little room in your suitcase!
Here are just a few of our favourites…

Johannesburg

• Show off your art smarts with a print or even an original from a local artist. The Art Room in Parkhurst encourages new talent and sells both prints and originals from young artists and more established creatives. They know all about packing and shipping, and there is a team of young art experts—Ryan, Gisele and Sinazo—to tell you more about the art you are buying.
• Serve Mirari artisanal gin at your next cocktail party and mention casually that you stumbled upon it at the Time Anchor Distillery in trendy Maboneng. And to add to that flavour of exclusivity, make an appointment for a gin tasting.
• Want a truly unique pair of Joburg sneakers? 1984 is a brand of leather sneakers designed by owner Mandy and made right here in Jozi. Every pair of sneakers comes with a free extra pair of laces. See the @1984_deluxe_brand Instagram page or get your pair from Shop 19, BluBird Shopping Centre in Birnam.

Durban

• Make curry like an auntie with spices from Gorima’s spice shops and serve with homemade atchar and a refreshing Bombay Crush. Look for the nearest Gorima’s on their website. They have a network of shops throughout Durban.
• Zulu beadwork is famous for the hidden messages in its colours. View here or here. Find the beadwork decorating spoons, mugs, pepper grinders and keyrings together with jewellery and keepsakes. Woza Moya Craft Store is in Old Main Road, Hillcrest, and the proceeds from sales go towards supporting the local crafters.

George

• Smell the scents of the forest with Garden Route fynbos-flavoured organic handmade soaps at the Outeniqua Family Market. The market is a lovely Saturday morning destination for the whole family and is the place to stock up on unique Christmas presents.
• Protea, loerie and pansy-shell jewellery are showstoppers crafted at Goldfish Jewellery Design Studio in Bodorp, George. Visit their workshop or find them at the Outeniqua Family Market.
• ‘Perfectly imperfect’—Wonki Ware is unmistakably wonky pottery, and their workshop is based in George.
• From tots’ takkies to hiking boots, handmade leather shoes from Bummel Shoes (German for ‘to stroll’) are made for walking .

East London

• It gets really cold in the Eastern Cape, so the sheep are extra woolly. And so are the sheepskin slippers! At Sheepskin Slippers SA, the slippers are hand-stitched by local crafters. You can find them at Pinecreek .
• Emerald Vale Brewery makes their craft beer from pure Wild Coast rainwater. They are about half an hour’s drive from East London, and one needs to book for both the restaurant and the brewery tour.
• Shweshwe fabric is just so Eastern Cape—even Madiba loved it for his shirts. The Shwe Shwe shop will dazzle you with its designs.

Cape Town

• The Cape has such a bewildering array of wineries … Cheat by consulting a sommelier for a boutique wine to brag about. The Wine Thief is in the famous Biscuit Mill complex in Woodstock.
• Wow your guests with waterblommetjie bredie made with the real thing. For a bewildering array of fresh produce, visit the Oranjezicht City Farm Market. It’s open on weekends.
• Fynbos bath products from the Shop at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens make gasp-worthy gifts and a more fragrant you.
• Gifts from recycled teabags might sound odd, but you would be a mug to miss out on these gorgeous homeware items.