Our SOUL Values
Values hold up a company and create clear intentions that direct future growth. Here are our core values that we bring into the everyday running of SOUL Design and that are woven into the fabric of all our future planning...
We believe that creativity crosses cultural boundaries; all our relationships are important to us and we will always choose to work with artisans and people we believe in over what might be an easier route of manufacturing.
We understand the importance of using materials that are kind to the Earth and we always source within Africa. As much as possible we work with materials that are either from the earth, recyclable or natural - these include making our jewellery with melted down, recycled brass that is then crafted into pieces through hand techniques and without the use of any major machinery, buying beads that are handmade from African traders, manufacturing only with natural fabrics in our clothing, and selling a range of natural sisal bags/homeware in our shop space.
As a team, we believe in good communication. We embrace all conversations – both easy and tricky.
We create a healthy life/work balance where the wellbeing of everybody in the SOUL team is valued. Everyday Patience cooks us all a healthy breakfast and lunch. We are also bringing in a health coaching programme for our Cape Town team with monthly mini educational talks on practical health tips.
We value the importance of building connection in our team and we regularly take our team on excursions; from experiencing nature on our doorstep, to meals out, to creative experiences. We travel to see all our artisans both locally and afar at least a few times a year to strengthen our relationships with them more and more and so trust, loyalty and understanding is always at the core of the foundation.
We always try to have fun and we enjoy ‘work’!
At the end of the day, we believe in taking risks to grow and we will always choose the path less travelled….
Give Back
We are hugely grateful for the growth we have made and continue to make and we believe in sharing our success and spreading some love with it. Here are some of the ways we actively give back...
- We have a commission structure (in addition to existing full salaries) where all our Cape Town team benefit from monthly profit share from our shop sales that goes toward long term savings for each employee.
- We are exploring offering beading workshops for under priviledged children in the area; giving them to opportunity to have some fun, explore their inherent creativity and in process (we hope) come away inspired that they too can work with their creativity and perhaps start a business themselves one day….
- We have created a collection of African Keepsakes that are manifestations that tell the stories of people close to our hearts. With each keepsake, we have chosen a charity or person to benefit from the sales of each piece, read the stories behind them here.