We have a small but growing team of highly skilled sewing ladies. Woo-men follows fair trade employment principles, rewarding our ladies fairly for their work. We are involved hands-on in running our business. We never outsource, preferring to train new people to work to our high standards.

More about our team

• Daphne – Machinist and cutting. Daphne worked for many years in clothing and lingerie in the Western Cape where she learned to cut and machine sew very efficiently. She cuts out all the fiddly felt bits like a pro.

• Simone – Our senior sewing assistant, hand stitching and stuffing. Orginally from Congo Brazzaville. After arriving in South Africa she sold her sewing crafts at street markets in Cape Town and worked in various sewing co-ops. Simone has extensive experience making and mending clothes and bags, doing crochet and embroidery.

• Rachel – Hand stitching and stuffing. Originally from DRC (Congo), she has a baby boy who was born in SA. Rachel works partly at home while taking care of him. Rachel is an expert hand stitcher. Simone and Rachel chat in French all day while working.
  
  
• Elaine and Pete Woo – The original designers. A husband and wife team who worked together to design Woo-men. Both busy, multi-talented people, Pete is a full time Comic Illustrator, painter, musician and caricature artist. Elaine runs the business and is highly skilled in sewing and crafts. She also works in glass Art Sculpture and loves French knitting.

• Barbara – Cutter. Elaine’s Mum Barbara taught her everything she knows about sewing. She loves being involved in her daughter’s life and helps out every week with cutting and other tasks.