In 2008 I was employed as a industrial designer to add to the existing range of Phumani Pets produced by Phumani Paper. Phumani Paper was established in 1999, as a partnership between South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology and the University of Johannesburg. The driver behind the project was Prof Kim Berman from the Department of Visual Art at UJ, whose vision for Phumani was to create a series of hand-papermaking manufacturing units in extreme, rural poverty nodes in seven of South Africa’s provinces. Phumani assisted in the creation of more than 250 jobs and the implementation and mentoring of 15 small hand-papermaking enterprises in communities severely affected by unemployment and HIV/Aids. It is unfortunately not longer operational.
Overview:
Phumani’s handmade paper was crafted from locally available, natural resources and waste products. These include the bi-products from sugar-cane harvesting in KwaZulu-Natal, agri-waste produced from Free State mielie husks, invasive Eastern Cape Black Wattle tree material and banana stem fibres, produced in the Northern Province. The Phumani Pets are made by Twanano Paper Making Cooperative in Tembisa and I was employed to design an additional pet that fitted within the existing Wild Dog and Rhino set. My design took inspiration from the iconic African animal, the hippopotamus. I was also engaged to product additional vaccuum formed moulds for the existing pets and multiple mould sets of the hippo to allow the cooperative to ramp up production for what became a highly in-demand craft product. The Phumani pets become so iconic in the South African craft sector that they are currently the logo for one of the largest craft markets in Johannesburg, the Rosebank Craft Market.
Outcomes: