From stylish locally made cat furniture to collages made from dried flowers and sustainable cork glasses frames, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 361.

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.

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Image credit: @floralcollage on Instagram 

Browse more like VISI picks of the week series – week 361 on picks of the week 149.

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Find an array of crocheted designs at Moonbasket, a local design studio run by designers Dani Le Roy and Laura Summs.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: craft is cool! So, the fact that it’s experiencing an upsurge in popularity – in an age of mass production where everything is made to standard specifications – is not only refreshing but also necessary. We say: viva authentic, handmade and locally produced things. Nothing beats the feeling of holding a one-of-a-kind, skillfully created work of art in your hands – or feeling it beneath your feet, for that matter.

Enter Moonbasket, a Cape Town-based design studio started in 2010 by artist and designer Dani Le Roy, along with self-confessed crochet maniac Laura Summs. Their obsession with finding inventive ways to use the crocheting technique has produced intricate and intriguing designs, from lampshades and throws to mirror decorations and delicate bowls. 

We are pretty much sold on the duo’s entire range but their crocheted rugs are our absolute favourites. Made from hemp, jute, polypropalene cords and braids, and available in neutral colours and brights, the rugs come in symmetrical designs (for the Virgos among us), while the more irregular shapes will suit those who can cope with a little less predictability in their lives and homes. 

To produce their range, Moonbasket works together with women from a community-based project in Khayelitsha outside Cape Town, helping to develop their skills and put them in a position to support their families. Do we have to give you any more great reasons to love this dynamic design studio? 

moonbasket.com, dani@moonbasket.com

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Pick and choose from a range of furniture and accessories to spoil your four-pawed friends. Says Dr Bernice Huyssteen from the Panorama Veterinary Clinic: “Wash your dog or cat’s bed once or twice per month on a hot cycle with low-allergy washing powder. Vacuuming the bed will also help to keep the fleas away.”

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