From stylish locally made cat furniture to collages made from dried flowers and sustainable cork glasses frames, these are the VISI team’s top picks of the week.
1. Sustainable Cat Furniture by Georgette Black
Durban-based interior and furniture design brand Georgette Black is also behind the Georgette Black Pets brand and its Scratch Bowl design. “After rigorous trials at our home testing laboratory with our own feline furniture specialists (Geoffrey and Panda), we’re confident that not only does the Scratch Bowl meet their high standards but is also a stylish addition to any contemporary home,” explain the brand owners. “And because we believe in solving problems through effective design, we’ve made the Scratch Bowl to be robust and long-lasting, while making use of sustainable and recycled components.” The Scratch Bowl is made from CNC-routered birch plywood and felt that’s made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles.
Image credit: Michelle Reynolds, courtesy of Georgette Black Pets
2. CoralBloom Studio’s Hemp Tote Bag
Family-run brand CoralBloom Studio’s Hemp Tote Bags feature watercolour works by botanical artist Ann C. Jooste and daughters Michelle, a botanist, and Megan, a conservation ecologist, with support from dad Nico. Each bag is hand made from hemp greige and feature a large pocket digitally printed with eco-friendly water-based inks. The unlined bags have neatly overlocked seams for a secure and durable finish.
Images courtesy of CoralBloom
3. Ballo Cork Glasses
These stylish Barn Owl / Cork / Blue Light Blocker UV420 glasses by local ethical brand Ballo, are light-weight, durable, flexible and sustainable – and they float on water! These unisex carbon neutral frames are made from cork, recycled poly-cotton canvas and bio-resin.
Images courtesy of Ballo
4. Ocean Sole Ambassador: Romario Valentine
Nine-year-old Durban-based environmentalist Romario Valentine spends his free time cleaning beaches. With over 134 clean-ups under his belt, Romario has become the youngest Ocean Sole ambassador, a Kenyan project that recycles flip-flops washed up onto the coast into bright works of art depicting marine life. The turtle below is made from 30 flip-flops that washed up on shore.
Images courtesy of Delsha Moodley
5. Floral Collage Dry Flower Art
Polish mixed-media botanical artist Anastesz, aka @floralcollage on Instagram, uses foliage, pressed flowers and other natural materials found on outdoor excursions to create her delicate nature-inspired artworks.
Image credit: @floralcollage on Instagram
