As South Africa celebrates Women’s Month, a small team of women in the Eastern Cape is quietly ensuring that one of the country’s oldest textile traditions continues to thrive.
In the small town of Alicedale, the women behind Barnard Mohair spend their days dyeing, weaving and hand-finishing luxury mohair products using skills that have been passed down through decades. Every blanket, shawl and throw that leaves the factory represents not only exceptional craftsmanship but also the livelihoods, knowledge and heritage of the women who created it.
For Barnard Mohair owner Louise Cameron, who returned to South Africa in 2022 to revive the family business founded by her parents nearly 60 years ago, the women in the factory are the true custodians of the brand’s legacy.
“I could write chapters about my staff,” she says. “They are the heartbeat of our operation.”
Decades of experience woven into every product
Many of the women working at Barnard Mohair have spent most of their working lives at the factory.
Delorus joined the company at just 23 years old and is now 68, having dedicated almost 45 years to the business through changing fashions, economic uncertainty and new generations.
Margaret began working at Barnard Mohair at the age of 25 and has mastered both traditional hand looms and modern electronically driven weaving equipment over the decades.
Leona has worked alongside Louise’s family for more than 30 years and now manages the dye house, where every colour must be measured with extraordinary precision.
Louwena’s connection to the business spans generations. After her mother’s passing, she joined the company nearly 20 years ago, and today her own daughter is learning the craft as an intern.
Charlotte has spent more than two decades designing jackets while overseeing quality control, ensuring every handcrafted item meets the company’s high standards.
Together, these women represent well over a century of combined experience.
“Textiles are a skilled trade,” says Louise. “When you work with mohair, even more so. The dyeing process alone takes years to perfect, and the knowledge that has been passed down through the years is not easy to replace. These ladies are incredibly valuable to me.”
Reviving a family legacy
Louise returned home after spending six years in London working for a family-owned luxury woven flooring manufacturer.
“My journey back was one that God laid strongly on my heart,” she says. “My dad wasn’t well, and I realised help was needed.”
Her return came during one of the company’s most difficult periods. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the factory had suffered extensive damage from break-ins, with electrical wiring stripped and machinery requiring major repairs before production could resume.
Despite the setbacks, Barnard Mohair slowly rebuilt. Just months after production restarted in 2023, Louise’s father passed away.
Rather than allowing the story to end there, Louise and her sister, Katrina Nel, who leads the family’s Sunday Child mohair carpet business, chose to continue building on the foundations their parents established decades ago.
“It’s such an honour to continue a business that has been going for nearly 60 years,” says Louise. “It’s a legacy built on quality, durability and timeless design.”
More than blankets
Barnard Mohair’s handcrafted products have found homes across South Africa and beyond.
Louise says customers still contact the company to share stories of mohair curtains woven more than 40 years ago that remain in daily use.
One recent milestone saw Barnard Mohair produce 800 handcrafted throws for Coricraft stores nationwide.
“We all helped tie bows around every blanket with our logo and swing tag,” Louise recalls. “Seeing them displayed in the flagship stores was such a proud moment.”
For Louise, however, the greatest achievement is not measured by retail partnerships.
“My mom always says my dad would be so proud of what we have accomplished,” she says. “I think he would be proud that we’re still creating beautiful products and continuing what they worked so hard to build all those years ago.”
This Women’s Month, Barnard Mohair shines a light on the women whose quiet dedication keeps a South African craft alive.
Every thread tells a story, but it is the women behind every thread who ensure that story continues to be woven for generations to come.
For more information, visit Barnard Mohair’s website.
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