CONTEMPORARY HOMEWARE HANDCRAFTED IN THE SPIRIT OF AFRICA
IKHAYA AFRICA was established in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2003. Our handmade products are made from exotic materials such as feathers, ostrich eggs, leathers, porcupine quills, suedes, horns, ostrich shins and body leathers, and a variety of game skins.
All our raw materials represent an indigenous ‘Spirit of Africa’ and IKHAYA AFRICA offers an inspiring range of modern African decorative items. These are suitable for the hotel industry, game lodges and the private home and includes decorative lighting, chandeliers, chairs, ottomans, tables, cushions, rugs and a variety of accessories. All animal products are however by-products.
We also work extensively with designers on exclusive custom pieces for projects and developments and supply customers across Southern Africa as well as exporting to 22 countries around the world.
IKHAYA AFRICA’s focus is on handmade craftsmanship and all our items are produced in South Africa, at various workshops that specialise in unique ranges where quality and attention to detail is paramount. Working from our design studio in Cape Town gives us optimal quality control to ensure we offer our customers high-end, beautifully crafted, luxury items.
SELECTION OF RAW MATERIALS
Special care is taken in selection the raw materials when we conceptualise and design our IKHAYA AFRICA products. We do not buy or trade in any endangered or threatened species; we also prefer to not use any products that are classified as CITIES [Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species].
All game skins and game by-products purchased from suppliers and tanneries for IKHAYA AFRICA have been processed and tanned in recognised tanneries according to the standards set by national and international rules and regulations.
HORNS, SKULLS & GAME SKINS
Our horns, skulls and game skins are derived from disease-free areas within Southern Africa (no Foot & Mouth, Rinderpest or Anthrax). All culling that has been undertaken is strictly legal.
IKHAYA AFRICA obtains these products from a tannery that only deals with authorised Hunters & Parks Board Operators. The horns and skins are from animals that are in abundance and all buying and dealing is strictly controlled by Cape Nature Conservation.
OSTRICH EGGS, LEATHERS & SHINS
South Africa has the largest concentration of farmed ostriches in the world. The entire bird – from the meat, feathers and body leather to shins, eggs and even bones – are made into by-products.
Ostrich body leather is highly sought after and unique in appearance. This exotic leather has a distinctive pattern of raised quill follicles. In recent years, the use of ostrich shin – with its reptile-like appearance – has become very popular.
For many years, infertile eggs have been collected for both practical and artisanal uses – such as painting, dyeing and carving.
PORCUPINE QUILLS
The Cape Porcupine from South Africa is larger than their North American counterpart. Shedding of the quills is a natural process, much like it is with standard human hair. ‘Successor’ quills often start emerging a few days after the earlier ones come out and new quills grow rapidly.
Quills are collected from farms in the Southern Cape and then crafted into our beautiful lamp shade and accessories, such as boxes.
FEATHERS
We utilise a variety of feathers from non-endangered birds, such as ostrich, turkey, guinea fowl and goose, in our product range. All feathers are by-products sourced from reputable suppliers and tanneries.
The majority of feathers are cleaned with a chemical solution, heat-treated and then dyed to our specification. We use feathers for trims on our lamp shades and cushions.