how did it start?
Owethu Umqhele Cooperative Sewing Initiative was born out of the DO MORE FOUNDATION’s Street Business School in 2019. Owethu Umqhele Cooperative Sewing Initiative was originally made up of a diverse group of 13 youth from Hammarsdale, most of them previously unemployed. Eleven were women and two men who were recruited from E Deaf. They were assisted in registering as a cooperative in order to access formal markets and other business opportunities, and were provided a start-up grant through the DO MORE FOUNDATION, in conjunction with its Implementation partner Niya Consulting, which they used to fund 10 industrial sewing machines, training, storage equipment and rental subsidy until December 2019.
The business has since taken off with great speed, producing a range of handcrafted items including the iconic DoMoreBags, which are made using repurposed branding material and sold via the DO MORE FOUNDATION’s online shop and our own staff shops. The cooperative has also supplied DoMoreBags to a chain of curio shops in China, via DoMore Online store and various RCL Food outlets and provided bags for local and overseas conferences and created 2 000 pencil case bags for RCL FOODS.
In January 2021, the Co-Operative was officially converted to a Pty Ltd. Since registration we have produced DoMore Shopper bags produced and stocked at a Local Spar and produced a number of stunning Umbrellas for Export to the United Kingdom. Our proudest and by far biggest order to date is 22 000 RCL Foods branded Top -Employer face masks.
In July 2021, the Company moved to its new premises located at the beautiful Use-It NPO Ethekwini Waste Materials Recovery Industry Development Cluster Centre in Hammersdale.