Collection by Allie Weiss

Genius Repurposing of Materials from Ghana to Swaziland

For 20 years, Design Indaba has been celebrating African design in its annual festival in Cape Town. But beyond the show, it continues to celebrate creativity emerging from the African continent. Here, we've gathered two projects that showcase how designers across Africa are using recycled materials, from paper to car parts, in innovative ways.

Quazi Design uses discarded magazines as its base material. All products are handmade by local Swazi women using fiberglass molds, and can be dyed in various shades.
Quazi Design uses discarded magazines as its base material. All products are handmade by local Swazi women using fiberglass molds, and can be dyed in various shades.
The pillows are hand-printed on hemp canvas. Quazi Design produces its goods in a factory in Mbabane.
The pillows are hand-printed on hemp canvas. Quazi Design produces its goods in a factory in Mbabane.
Dutch designers Melle Smets and Joost van Onna undertook a project with craftspeople in the Ghanaian neighbourhood of Suami Magazine, where discarded car parts are transformed into new vehicles.
Dutch designers Melle Smets and Joost van Onna undertook a project with craftspeople in the Ghanaian neighbourhood of Suami Magazine, where discarded car parts are transformed into new vehicles.
The scraps originate from European cars, and over 200,000 workers in the neighborhood recycle them into vehicles that suit African roads.
The scraps originate from European cars, and over 200,000 workers in the neighborhood recycle them into vehicles that suit African roads.
Melle Smets and Joost van Onna worked with the local craftspeople to craft a special car, the SMATI Turtle 1, that was featured as part of Design Indaba Expo’s "Africa is Now" exhibition.
Melle Smets and Joost van Onna worked with the local craftspeople to craft a special car, the SMATI Turtle 1, that was featured as part of Design Indaba Expo’s "Africa is Now" exhibition.