Why handmade soap is kinder to your skin

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12 October 2026

On 28 June 2026

Every Saturday morning the craft market in Pietermaritzburg fills up with makers and their stock. You will find beadwork, baskets and leather goods laid out on trestle tables. Stop and chat with the people who made them. They love to explain how a piece was done.

Bring cash and a shopping bag. Ask about the materials, the colours and how long each piece took. Most makers also take orders, so you can request a size or a colour that suits your home. Kraalwerk stocks many of the same makers all year round.

Made locally

Good ceramics start with local clay. The Umgeni Clayworks team digs, wedges and throws each bowl on the wheel before it goes into the kiln. Glazes are mixed in small batches, so colours change a little from one firing to the next.

That is part of the charm. When you set a mug on your shelf, you are holding something that cannot be repeated exactly. Wash by hand with warm water and mild soap, and it will last for years.

Made locally

Leather from Msunduzi Leather Co is cut, stitched and finished in small batches. Each belt and bag begins as a full hide that the team checks by hand for grain and strength. Edges are burnished until smooth, and the stitching is done with strong waxed thread. With a little care and the odd wipe of conditioner, these pieces will outlast many fashion bags from the mall.

Beadwork has long been a language in Zulu communities. Colours carry meaning, from white for purity to red for love and strong feeling. The Ubuhle Beads makers sew each piece with tiny glass beads, one at a time, on cotton thread. A single necklace can take days to finish. Ask us about the story behind any colour combination and we will gladly share what we know.