Shades & Layers
Shades and Layers is a podcast focused on black women entrepreneurs from across the globe. It is a platform for exploring issues and challenges around business ownership, representation and holistic discussions about the meaning of sustainability in an increasingly complex global context. Conversations are wide- ranging and serve not only as a Masterclass in Entrepreneurship but also provide wisdom and tools for Successful Living. It is a space for meaningful conversation, a place for black and other women of color to be fully human and openly share their quirks and vulnerabilities.
Guests include prominent figurers in the beauty, fashion and wellness industries both in the Northern Hemisphere and the Global South.
Dr. Theo Mothoa-Frendo of USO Skincare discusses her journey from being product junkie to creating an African science-based skincare range. Taryn Gill of The Perfect Hair is a brand development whizz who discusses supply chain and distribution of her haircare brands. Katonya Breux discusses melanin and sunscreen and how she addresses the needs of a range of skin tones with her Unsun Cosmetics products.
We discuss inclusion in the wellness industry with Helen Rose Skincare and Yoga and Nectarines Founder , Day Bibb. Abiola Akani emphasizes non-performance in yoga with her IYA Wellness brand and Anesu Mbizho shares her journey to yoga and the ecosystem she's created through her business The Nest Space.
Fashion is all about handmade, custom made and circular production with featured guests like fashion designer Maria McCloy of Maria McCloy Accessories; Founder and textile/homeware designer Nkuli Mlangeni Berg of The Ninevites as well as Candice Lawrence, founder of the lighting design company Modern Gesture. These are just a few the conversations on the podcast over the past three years.
Shades & Layers
Barali (From Maseru With Love) with Moliehi Mafantiri (S3, E2)
In today’s episode, we head to the magical kingdom of Lesotho, where we meet Moliehi Mafantiri, the co-founder of the fast-growing sustainable homeware brand, Barali.
Moliehi co-founded the company with her high school friend, Mookho Ntho, with the aim of sharing Basotho culture through storytelling, preserving local traditions and contributing to the Lesotho textile industry in a sustainable way.
The two women also run a design studio, which funds their homeware brand, while amplifying their fellow Basotho’s voices, and they have started a digital story archive called Bonesa, which means to illuminate …
In between all of this Moliehi is pursuing her Masters in Environment and Society at the University of Pretoria.
We had this conversation just as she finished her mid-years, and we had the chance to explore topics like the challenges of finding local interest in sustainable design, the joys of reflecting traditions they treasure in their work with Barali and paying homage to other trailblazers who are choosing the road less traveled.
Mentions and Links in this episode
Fair Trade - this links to an article that cites the pros and cons of Fair Trade. In the context of this episode of Shades and Layers this topic is discussed with Barali's working environment in mind. They source directly from mohair producers in rural Lesotho and South Africa, with the intention of bringing fair, equitable and sustainable manufacturing practices to the Lesotho Textile industry. Could the Fair Trade model be one to copy?
Dianamarena (pl.)/Seanamarena (sing.) - Lesotho traditional blanket
Here is more about Mookho's art:
Mokorotlo Hat - Traditional Basotho hat made from grass.
Bonesa - A Sesotho word meaning 'to shine a light on or illuminate'. Follow the link to read the story 'Mapei' by author Moso Sematlane
Mohair Industry - for a deep dive. A good read if you're interested in some facts an figures about this fine textile.
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