afrographic rhino key ring in hands of artisan
                                               

 

Founded in 2002 in Cape Town, South Africa, Afrographic has grown from a small craft operation into an established manufacturer of leather key rings with an inspiring Africa story.  The project, started by artist Vincent Urbain, is a collaboration between his Project Dyad leather goods Atelier in Cape Town and crafters from the Khayelitsha township.

 

 

 

 

 

 

afrographic artisan holding elephant key ring

 

 

While the leather is cut into shapes at the Atelier, it is Head crafter Lindelwa Maqabuka and her team who give bring those shapes to life, turning them into the gorgeous little key rings that stole our hearts back in 2010 and compelled us to start MisHMasH.  As Lindelwa and her assistants all work from her Khayelitsha studio, it saves them a long commute to outside work and allows them more time with their families from within the comfort and safety of their own community.  This symbiotic relationship of crafting and job creation in the community and marketing and distribution in the city allows both studios to flourish and focus on what they do best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

afrographic whale key ring

 

 

The leather is organically sourced from small farms on the East Coast of South Africa, and material optimization is critical to the process.  When possible, leather offcuts from the Project Dyad product line are used to produce some of the pieces, such as the shark, penguin and lion's head and mane. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afrographic elephant key rings in hand of crafter

 

MisHMasH donates 10% of the proceeds from the sale of our elephant and rhino key rings to Elephant conservation efforts in Southern Africa.  Visit our Philanthropy page for additional information

Afrographic donates 15% of all sales of sea creature key rings to the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation in Cape Town and 15% of the sale of all elephant key rings to AERU (African Elephant Research Unit, South Africa) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shop Collection

afrographic elephant key ring in black

 

MisHMasH is the wholesale representative for Afrographic both in Canada and USA.  Please refer to Wholesale Inquires for additional information.

 


Photographs Source:  Tremayne Ward-Smith / www.projectdyad.com