Accessories brand Khokho was formed in 2014. It is an all-female partnership between artisan and weaver Zinhle Vilakati, social entrepreneur Phillipa Thorne, and designer Sapna Shah. Based in Vilakati’s homeland of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), Khokho bags combine traditional Swazi hand-weaving techniques with sustainable materials and ethical production. Khokho produce bags inspired by the Swazi landscape, utilising local materials – most notably Lutindzi grass, indigenous to Eswatini – and employing local technicians and artisans with a view to strengthening the local economy. The brand’s name is the Swazi word for ‘great-grandmother’, referring to the matriarchal figures at the core of Eswatini community, and the founders’ desire to preserve ancient Swazi weaving techniques, traditionally passed down from female elders.

The ‘Langa Frame’ bag is constructed of hand-spun sisal fibre, wrapped around a metal frame. The simple shape highlights the craft of the bag’s sisal wrapping, whose lattice form allows the structural framework of the bag to remain visible. A satin pouch sits within the bag, enclosing the bag’s contents.