In 2025, African Jacquard embraces the theme of “Possibilities”, a mindset that invites us to approach every aspect of our work with openness, curiosity, and ambition.
For our customers, it means exploring personalized experiences and expanding our reach to connect with new markets and audiences. In our creative process, “Possibilities” inspires us to experiment with sustainable materials, blend diverse cultural influences, and collaborate with designers and makers worldwide. Across our business, “Possibilities” encourages us to foster a culture of bold thinking and strengthen partnerships that drive growth. Through travel and exploration, we seek inspiration from different cultures, forging connections that influence our designs and storytelling.
Above all, “Possibilities” embodies a mindset that views every challenge as an opportunity to innovate, adapt, and grow.
As we look forward to transforming possibilities into reality, we reflect on the journey that brought us here. Last year, we embarked on an exciting venture that perfectly embodies this spirit: weaving with SeaCell, an innovative fibre made from cellulose and sustainably harvested seaweed.
Our journey with SeaCell: Weaving sustainability into our story…
SeaCell’s incredible properties, its softness, breathability, and eco-friendly credentials, quickly captured our imagination. The journey wasn’t without its challenges. Developing textiles with this remarkable fibre required experimenting with blends, exploring its behaviour alongside fibres like linen and cotton, and pushing the boundaries on Jacquard looms.
The Kelp Forest Design: Nature woven into fabric…
Our inspiration for the Kelp Forest Collection was deeply rooted in our connection to the ocean. Cape Town’s iconic kelp forests, with their ethereal beauty and rich ecosystems, are a constant presence in our lives. Whether encountered during morning beach walks or swims through their underwater wonderland, the kelp forests embody a sense of calm, movement, and vitality that we wanted to capture in our textiles.
The result was a stunning Jacquard pattern that interwove the organic forms of kelp with a honeycomb waffle texture, creating a fabric that feels alive with depth and dimension. This design is brought to life through a blend of cotton and linen, offering a balance of strength and softness that mirrors the resilience and grace of the ocean itself.
Celebrating our second annual Textile Experience…
This journey culminated in our second annual Textile Experience last year, held in our Cape Town shop. It was a moment to share our passion, innovation, and creativity with our community. The event featured an immersive installation: a hanging underwater kelp forest crafted from our new fabric collection. Guests were invited to step into this sensory experience, where sound, light, and touch transported them beneath the waves. The installation showcased the beauty and versatility of our textiles, highlighting how they bring the ocean’s magic into any space.
The event was also an opportunity to unveil the Kelp Forest Collection, a range of bed throws, cushion covers, and decorative curtain drops in three stunning colours; Amber, Seagrass, and Coral. Alongside these, we presented a limited-edition natural sand-coloured blanket woven with linen and SeaCell. This piece, with its wave-like waffle texture, symbolized our first steps into sustainable weaving and was met with tremendous enthusiasm.
A beginning, not an end…
Launching this collection is just the start of our journey with sustainable fibres. We are thrilled to have taken the first steps, but we recognize there is so much more to learn, explore, and innovate. SeaCell has opened our eyes to the possibilities of eco-conscious weaving, and it has inspired us to push further in sourcing and developing materials that honour both craft and the environment.
As we embrace the theme of “Possibilities” in 2025, we’re committed to continuing this journey, guided by our love for design, respect for nature, and desire to create textiles that tell a meaningful story. The Kelp Forest Collection is more than a celebration of the ocean’s beauty; it is a testament to the incredible opportunities that arise when tradition meets innovation, and when creativity is paired with care for our planet.