Get cosy with a local…

The best locally manufactured blankets and bedding.

With winter approaching and the nights crowing colder, it’s time to warm up your sleep space. Let’s introduce you to two of our favourite, 100% locally manufactured, comfort creators.

Karoo Creations

This game changing bedding manufacturer has disrupted the duvet scene by giving us an alternative to the Down Duvets of yesteryear. Their sleep philosophy centres around exceptional comfort, craftmanship and a cruelty free alternative to traditional duck down…sustainably sourced local wool.

We’ll let them explain why they chose wool:

“Wool is nature’s miracle fibre, having been used for centuries before the introduction of plastic in the early part of the 20th century that has been catastrophic for the planet. Not only is it hypoallergenic, it also perfectly regulates your body temperature to keep you in the Goldilocks zone for deeper, longer sleep. Unlike down or feathers, wool does not insulate, so throwing off the duvet from overheating will be a thing of the past.”

Did you know? Duck down is a by product of slaughtering duck or geese for meat. Alternatively, the down feathers are plucked from living animals.

But – don’t get down on down.

Don’t get us wrong, there are many companies who do source their duck down ethically, and not all duck down duvets are tainted by animal cruelty. BUT: Karoo Creations give you the option of a cruelty free natural and sustainable alternative to traditional down (feather) bedding.

Their secret lies in the stuffing of their duvets. Instead of feathers, they use wool. The brilliance of this is that it is still a natural product, but unlike the down-industry, sheep can be shorn with zero harm to the animals. In fact: Sheep need to be shorn seasonally to prevent their wool form matting and getting overgrown. So sheering them is an act of kindness! They are a completely local company, who uses local products and labour to hand make their duvets, one loving stich at a time, in the lovely town of Richmond in the Northern Cape.

Here’s what they have to say about their process:

“No harming of animals, or use of plastic that will pollute our water sources with microplastics. Our pure wool and cotton casings are 100% biodegradable. Our wool is sourced from Namaqualand, processed in Paarl and sent to us in Richmond – a much smaller carbon footprint!”

If you already have your trusted duvet (Down or Wool – we don’t judge), why not spoil yourself with a blanket?

Kobo Africa

This proudly South African brand was born from a collaboration by two best friends, Natalie and Christina who, in their own words, have a love for everything beautiful and a passion for our country.

They offer traditional heritage blankets, like the iconic Basotho blanket and the Ndebele Umbhalo. Through collaborations with young south African designers, they also offer a luxurious range of designs inspired by the multicultural vibrance of the African continent.

As with Karoo Creations, we love Kobo for their dedication to local manufacture and the upliftment and upskilling of their team. As a local business ourselves, we are proud to be associated with other likeminded South Africans.

In light of this, we feel that two other local bedding manufacturers deserve an honourable mention:

Granny Goose

Specialising in heirloom bedding, with 30 years of experience, Granny Goose can be seen as the “original” South African luxury bedding company. All their duvets are 100 locally made, with sustainably sourced, top-quality materials. The company has grown over the past three decades, and their products are available online, in @home stores, and also, recently , in their flagship store in Franschhoek. They offer everything form duvets and pillows, to sheets, quilts and throws.

The T-shirt Bed company

Another fantastic, female owned local company, their products are all 100% locally made in Cape Town and have revolutionised how we sleep. While they don’t offer duvet inners, they do have amazing, minimalist options for all your other linen needs. They even have a kiddies range and they sell LOUNGE WEAR! Yep, you can sleep in and under their products.

The company was founded in Cape Town in 2015 by Tamzin van Staden and Jackie Wilson Lowe. Their focus is on elegant minimalism and extreme comfort. They have beautiful colourways to suit every taste, and they are the perfect bedtime partner for either your Karoo Creations or Granny Goose duvets and pillows. Add a Kobo Africa blanket or throw and you can rest assured that you are sleeping with the locals!