The MarketPlace•Shop offers quality items that are 100% handcrafted.  Our creative suppliers produce beautiful products using traditional craftmanship which we believe is a refreshing change from mass-produced goods found in shops.

Each item is made with care and attention and carefully crafted using high-quality sustainable materials that should do no harm to our environment. It’s authentic craftmanship at its best and we’re proud to be associated with a fine collection of artists and artisans who have turned their inspired passion into successful small businesses.

The MarketPlace•Shop has created a community platform where artists and artisans can market their products online and we use the power of social media to showcase their unique talent and craftsmanship.

By supporting The MarketPlace•Shop, you are supporting the creative women and men of South Africa. This keeps traditional craftmanship skills alive and helps grow our economy.

The advantages of buying handmade gifts

In an era where everything is produced at a fast and furious pace, we like the idea that you can still find quality handmade gifts that are made at a slower pace. In our travels around South Africa, we’ve found the most inspiring gift ideas ranging from handmade toys, clothing and embroidery items to woodwork, hand painted art and organic soaps and body scrubs.

The MarketPlace•Shop carefully selects handmade products that meet our high standards of creativity, sustainability and social consciousness. We source products from small businesses that not only produce items that are beautiful and unique; they are environmentally conscious and help grow our economy by employing people and making a difference to their local communities.

Handmade uses waste material

As they say, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Household items that are often thrown away can be used to create beautiful handmade gifts. This includes old clothes and fabric, buttons and baubles, wooden pieces and old furniture. With a bit of creative ingenuity, discarded material can be used to make something special.

Handmade uplifts local communities

In many of South Africa’s rural communities, employment levels are extremely low and there are few prospects to improve one’s quality of life. Bringing people into a home-based business and teaching them new skills like sewing, painting and woodwork not only provides them with a decent wage, it also provides them with an opportunity to develop skills that are not taught in the local schools.

Handmade is good for our environment

Handmade products are typically made using raw materials such as wool, cotton, wood and organic materials like essential oils. They are natural resources that don’t contain contaminants that are bad for our environment or bad for you and your family.

The raw materials are sourced locally which means the end product has virtually no carbon footprint. What carbon footprint refers to is the greenhouse gas emissions produced by growing, rearing, farming, processing, transporting, storing, cooking and disposing of any manufactured product.

The biggest benefit of handmade gifts that are made using raw materials is they are 100% biodegradable. They are free from hazardous materials and chemicals and won’t do any harm to the environment when discarded.

Handmade is good for our economy

The small-scale industry in South Africa makes a significant contribution to our gross domestic product (GDP). Small businesses absorb about 70 to 80% of the employed population and contribute about 30% to the country’s GDP. A homebased business that starts in someone’s lounge or garage and grows into a profitable small business is just as important to our economy as the large manufacturers and big businesses.

Artists and artisans in South Africa employ people from local communities, they buy locally-sourced materials that put money into other people’s pockets and improve the skills of the people working for them. All this is excellent for South Africa’s economic growth.

Proudly handmade

The MarketPlace•Shop is proud of its handmade philosophy and the contribution we make to supporting the wealth of creative talent in this country. Each purchase you make online with us makes a big difference to the individual artists, the local communities they support and our environment.