A Brewing Success

by Aimee Dyamond in February 2012 - Community Caring

Long after the tea-bag has been drawn of its full flavour and the good china packed away, a miraculous process begins in the heart of Hout Bay. Original T-Bag Designs is a sustainable initiative; prioritising job creation and social upliftment. In recognizing the potential of the humble tea-bag, T-Bag Designs nurtures the brewing talents of its thirteen, fully-employed craft-workers, for whom humility and hard work is the key to their success.

The story of T-Bag Designs began with a Primary School teacher from Suffolk, England. When Jill Heyes moved to South Africa 16 years ago, she was deeply influenced by the poverty of Hout Bay’s Imizamo Yethu township. Jill’s love for a good cup of English tea combined with her desire to bring about change sparked an idea both eco-friendly and socially empowering.

Using her decoupage techniques, Jill started a skills training program for women in the township community. But like most great ideas this was only the start and out of a sudden epiphany the tea-bag craft was born.

“I was discussing ways of making a difference with a friend from England over tea. She looked into her cup, saw the tea-bag floating in it, and said, “What about tea-bags’” – and that is how it all started, Original T-Bag Designs CC became a registered company in 2003.

Now years later, the buzzing business seeks another challenge. Jill’s goal is to register with Fair Trade, a global organisation that endorses sustainable products on behalf of disadvantaged communities. Although craft is not yet widely recognised as a Fair Trade category, Jill hopes that this will change.

“Registering the company with Fair Trade is a whole lot of paperwork, but it’s a definite goal for Original T-Bag Designs future.”

Since inception, T-Bag Designs has gained a host of supporters, both local and international. Tea-bags pour in from every curve of the globe, by post, stowed in luggage, by air or sea. From Oolong to Earl Grey, round, or square, some even mouldy, a global tea-bag following is in motion.

In the workshop, crafters busy themselves with the day’s tasks. T-Man Vava, who works as a gardener once a week, joined the T-Bag collective in 2003. Like the seeds he plants, T-Man’s craft has grown into a flourishing personal enterprise, allowing him to learn new skills and interact with a cosmopolitan passage of people. Since he began, he has learned to perfect the intricate art of tea-bag design with unmatched precision. With hands that turn soil and trim foliage on Mondays, T-Man adopts a love of workmanship and finely-tuned skill as an artist at the T-Bag factory. A set of glistening tea-trays rests on his workbench, ready to deck the shelves of the flagship store. As T-Man admires his work, his pride is evident. He smiles a great deal, and not just for the camera.

Originally from the Eastern Cape, Lucy Rafu says there’s never a shortage of tea-bags at the factory.

“Except those tagged ones we have to get from overseas,” says Jill. These are the tea-bags used to make the popular angel decorations. They’re more expensive than the regular bags and considered a valuable commodity by the crafters.

Lucy sews, varnishes and paints, alternating between tasks as she goes along. Her favourite tea-bag design is the traditional template, using geometrical shapes and bold patterns strongly rooted in African craft-making. “We paint about 150 teabags a week,” she estimates.

Alongside the financial benefits and skills training that the T-Bag initiative offers, crafters enjoy a great deal of creative freedom. Some have launched their own products, which are sold through the T-Bag store.

“We have a sewing teacher that comes to instruct us every Tuesday,” Lucy says as she brushes the last coat of varnish onto a trinket box and gently blows it dry.

Zimbabwean-born production manager Russell Chitanda makes boats with delicate tea-bag sails. When he first started making them, perfecting the design proved challenging.

“Zimbabwe’s landlocked. We don’t get many boats here,” he once quipped. Russell trained as a Primary School teacher, majoring in Art. His creativity and passion for handiwork led him to pursue a career in South Africa. Following the example of his sister, Russell began splitting, drying and decorating tea-bags from home. After a year spent teaching in Pretoria, Russell returned to tea-bags with renewed hope. Since 2008, T-Bag Designs has been a solid grounding for Russell’s creative pursuits. He now oversees a thriving workplace, managing orders, checking stock and motivating his team.

“Working at T-Bag Designs has allowed me to enhance my skills as an artist and to gain confidence with people and in myself,” he says.

Constructed from old driftwood and dried tea-bags, Russell’s boats line the top shelf, a testament of their maker’s resourcefulness and quiet ingenuity.

At Original T-Bag Designs, craft is only the beginning. A travel destination in itself, the T-Bag factory offers an exceptionally hospitable look into the pulse of South African craft. An enterprising spirit courses though the place, sustaining a heartbeat of fraternity, industry and acceptance. This is especially true for the ladies who, quite literally, enjoy a good chat over tea.

For more information contact The Original T-Bag Designs on 021 790 0887.