Women entrepreneurs are leading a new wave of Zambian artisan enterprises that are crafting beautiful products. Meet Janet Fredman the founder of Janet Fredman Designs, who is building an exciting artisan jewellery brand; and Martha Zulu the founder of Zulu Weaver, a company using traditional weaving techniques to craft beautiful textiles.

CGTN Africa | Published on May 5, 2017

Lizl Naude, a South African entrepreneur is hoping to change perceptions about waste. She creates unique pieces of furniture from discarded materials or junk. Her creations also help save the planet at the same time. CGTN's Julie Scheier has more from Cape Town.

Little Gabies is an Ethiopian made 100% natural, handwoven and eco-friendly baby blanket that has become quite popular in the US. You can find it in top stores like Macy's. This video shows the process of making one Little Gaby from spinning, weaving, embroidery to packaging in just two minutes. More: http://www.littlegabies.com

Featured Artisan Enterprise: ZAAF, founded by Abai Schulze, is a collection of handcrafted luxury leather handbags and accessories produced by artisans in Ethiopia. ZAAF is a word that means “tree” in the ancient and noble Amharic language. ZAAF’s creations see their genesis in a process of meticulous excellence that exists in each and every step of their fashioning. Each piece draws its inspiration from a particular region, and is crafted with the finest materials that come from natural resources unique to the latter. Color, texture, and ageless patterns made on a traditional loom, are beautifully merged to create a discrete statement of elegance and practicality that reflect those same characteristics of those who are at home in the world.

Featured Artisan Enterprise: Achenyo Idachaba is the founder of MitiMeth,  a social enterprise in Nigeria transforming water weeds into artisan crafted accessories. In a bid to deal with the abundance of invasive water hyacinth plants clogging up local waterways, Achenyo is transforming the weeds from nuisance plants to beautifully-handcrafted artisan products. She identified an ecological problem adversely affecting local communities and then set about building a business to fix it using local artisanal skills!

Featured Artisan Enterprise: haute | baso in Rwanada was founded by Linda Mukangoga Ndungutse and Candy Basomingera. These two creative women joined forces with a common vision to make Rwanda the go-to place to find quality leather products. They share a common belief in the strength of their country’s unique aesthetic, drawing inspiration from Rwanda’s dynamic and culturally vibrant history while adding a modern touch. Their designs successfully merge different artisan skillsets and creative processes that produce unique and marketable pieces. Their mission is to translate their passion for art and design into a vehicle for positive change, providing a creative outlet for local and regional artisans while promoting job creation.

Featured Artisan Enterprise: Lucy Beard is the co-founder of Hope on Hopkins Distillery, a small artisanal distillery in the heart of Cape Town that prides itself on truly crafting its own spirits. These passionate artisans bring you “grain to glass” spirits packed full of new flavours and an interesting range of botanicals, made by using the age old process of batch distillation with their two faithful stills – Mildred and Maude.

Featured Artisan Enterprise: Coral Stephens founded her weaving studio in 1949 in Piggs Peak, Northern Swaziland. Coral Stephens maintains the tradition of hand-woven quality fabrics for use in home, hospitality and commercial décor projects. They weave décor fabrics and carpets made from hand spun mohair, silk, cotton, and raffia. Fabrics are both classic and modern.

Featured Artisan: Candice Johnson is the founder of Miss Knitwear in South Africa --- In a world which is increasingly turning its attention to all things hand-crafted, and companies using ethically sourced materials that support local craftsmanship, Candice Johnson is one entrepreneur turning her passion for luxury, handcrafted knitwear, into a thriving business, aptly named Miss Knitwear. 

Featured Artisan Enterprise: Aïssa Dione created the eponymous Aissa Dione Textiles company with the objective of relaunching the textile production chain in Senegal by combining art and industry while encouraging the sustainability and development of traditional skills threatened with dissipation.

Featured Artisan Enterprise: Lisa Ackroyd established Colony Design in 2012 - a leather design label which is rooted in her unbridled desire to create an inspired leather and canvas collection that marries traditional leather materials and craftsmanship, with contemporary requirements and detail.

Featured Artisan Enterprise: Sasa Designs by the Deaf launched in Fall 2011 with the goal of providing employment and fair wages to Deaf artisans in Kenya. With an estimated unemployment rate of 85% among the Deaf in Kenya, few will have an opportunity to discover their potential, work in dignity and earn a fair wage. Employers are simply not willing to deal with the communication issues that arise working with the Deaf. Sasa Designs gives Deaf artisans the chance they’ve been waiting for – the chance to learn new skills, to discover what they are capable of and to feel productive.

Featured Artisan Enterprise: Zizamele Ceramic's, founded by Toni Burton, produce a wonderfully artistic range of handmade and handpainted African-inspired ceramics crafted by a group of local Xhosa artists. Toni recognised that while South Africa has no shortage of extremely talented artists, the challenge lies in finding ways for them to use these raw skills to create a better life and a sustainable income. This is where Zizamele Ceramics has come into its own. Zizamele's talented team of women ceramicists and artists create highly sought after and collectable ceramic pieces that can now be found in homes, offices and galleries around the world.

Featured Artisan: Akosua Afriyie-Kumi is the founder of Afroluxe handbag brand, A A K S, in Ghana. Her brand is a wonderful showcase of the ancient Ghanaian weaving craft. Using skills and techniques that are unique to Northern region of Ghana, the craftsmanship is the foundation of her brand. A A K S bags are woven incorporating the use of raffia and leather. It takes approximately one week to complete a handbag. Akosua has an unwavering dedication to modern style and interpretations using traditional artisanal methods. 

Featured Artisan Enterprise: Carol Morris, owner of Barrydale Hand Weavers, has been involved in fabric craft for the last 30 years. In 2007 she took over her friends' business and decided to move to Barrydale where she trained local community members as weavers.

Featured Artisan Enterprise: ZAAF, founded by Abai Schulze, is a collection of handcrafted luxury leather handbags and accessories produced by artisans in Ethiopia. ZAAF is a word that means “tree” in the ancient and noble Amharic language. ZAAF’s creations see their genesis in a process of meticulous excellence that exists in each and every step of their fashioning. Each piece draws its inspiration from a particular region, and is crafted with the finest materials that come from natural resources unique to the latter. Color, texture, and ageless patterns made on a traditional loom, are beautifully merged to create a discrete statement of elegance and practicality that reflect those same characteristics of those who are at home in the world.

Featured Artisan Enterprise: Chloe Townsend is the founder of Missibaba, a team of seven women based in Woodstock, Cape Town, all working away merrily to create beautiful handcrafted leather accessories. From bags to clutches to wallets and belts, each piece is unique, with owners and fans of the brand referred to as 'Missibabas' themselves.

Featured Artisan Enterprise: Quazi Design is a cutting edge craft company that transforms waste magazines into original accessories and interior products. Through innovative techniques and collaboration, they believe in pushing the boundaries of craft, responsibility, and design. Based in Swaziland, all their products are hand made by local women, empowering them through skill sharing and earning a sustainable permanent income. Promoting social responsibility and environmental awareness in design and everything they do, Quazi is creating a new perspective on fair trade.

Featured Artisan: Caroline McCann, owner of Braeside Meat Market in Parkhurst, Johannesburg is an independently certified provider of free-range and grass fed meat. This passionate champion of ethical farming stocks only the finest meat and meat products. If the meat is not in line with her principles, she will not stock it or supply it to her customers.

Featured Artisan Enterprise: Jesslynn Schlamm is the founder of Johannesburg based Lulu & Marula, producing handcrafted, artisanal skincare products. Her  products are 100% natural, created from pure botanical oils, extracts, waters and are totally free from chemicals, fillers, perfumes and preservatives. Jesslynn sources ingredients from local African farmers using organic, locally-sourced oils wherever she can.