Nomad Tribe

Made in: Malawi, East Africa

Our love for unique, high quality, and environmentally-sustainable home furnishings inspired us in curating our Nomad Tribe range. Steeped in the rich visual traditions of the African continent, each of these handcrafted items highlights the beauty of natural materials and their textures.

We source from local artisans across a number of countries including Malawi, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Tonga and Burkina Faso to name just a few. The original pieces we source are then repaired and restored in South Africa. For the Malawi armchair, artisans have been perfecting their version of the traditional design since 1979, using local materials to make each chair over approximately 10 days time. Artisans start by hand-carving and building a frame from the wood of a blue gum tree, a locally available wood often used for construction and joinery because of its strength. Then they insert straight strips of bamboo before weaving flexible rattan strips in intricate patterns along the sides of the seats. Rather than use glue, they secure the strips with special knots. To create a curved barrel back, they temporarily insert spare parts from cars and bicycles that guide them as they work.

The Black and White chairs are given several coats of hardwearing paint followed by a high gloss lacquer finish.