A little down the road from the Mungo Mill and up a winding jeep track into the hills you find Petrichor, home to Ilan, Daphne and their family. Atop a hill overlooking the Tsitsikamma mountain range, it’s here, this late summer, that Mungo had our latest lifestyle shoot with Nicola Suttle, a day long shoot tracing the sun as it wove light through and around the house.

Wayfarer and Summer Towels

Wayfarer Summer Towels

Pablo on the natural pool deck with Ruti Kikois

A heavy mist lay thick that early morning when we arrived, cloaking the surrounding hills. Greeted by a wood fired sauna, its warm wood interior and our linen gowns gave us the start to our shoot.

With the mist burnt off by the strengthening sun, the valley and hills revealed themselves. We moved to the natural pool, the dogs, Pablo and Karuna, trailing us. Pablo decided our carefully styled Ruti kikoi, intentionally laid just so on the decking, would be a great place for a morning nap.

Clouds trailed up and sometimes we waited for them to pass, so as to catch the light we needed, bouncing it into the vast sun soaked lounge, plushed with our cushions and the new Duo Blanket. The double weave of the Duo looking at home in the setting and picking up on the olive greens and blush pinks of the ericas in the veld growing lush about the home.

Shoots are varied full days; we chase light and deadlines, trying to get as many considered shots into our allotted time as we can, but in the soft interiors and verdant garden of Petrichor, the demands of styling and shooting sat lightly – the calm of the space holding us.

The Duo Blanket in Mesa

Our 12 hours there made us curious; what is an average day in this beautiful home and setting – We asked our hosts, Ilan and Daphne, to share what a day in their family’s life at Petrichor looks and feels like. Read about it here:

Daphne, Ilan and Raphael, photos by Amy Keevy

Ilan

The frogs start first. Then the birds. Then the dogs hear something moving through the fynbos, and that’s the day begun.

I make coffee and take it to the verandah. The Keurbooms valley is still in shadow, and there’s a thin orange line rising across the Tsitsikamma mountains. It’s quiet in a way that city people don’t have a word for; not the absence of noise, but a fullness; loeries calling across the valley, wind through the fynbos and the occasional bark from our dog, Karuna, who has spotted a bokkie on the trail or a porcupine having breakfast on our bulbs.

Winter mornings are my favourite. The sun rises and hits the black terracotta tiles above the fireplace, and moves across them throughout the morning. It turns the room into something living. 

Mungo Table linen and Cushions

“We couldn’t design that, we chose the tiles and orientation, but the sun did the rest. By the end of the day, it has made its way all the way round to kiss the raw terracotta tiles in the kitchen for its last goodbye.”

– Ilan Green, Petrichor host and co-creator

Daphne

Our son, Raphael, comes straight to the kitchen. He’s two and every morning is an event. Breakfast happens while he tells us of something he’s seen; a bird flying by or a spider in a web, something only he has noticed. His presence and the joy that consistently follows him, reminds me to join him – these moments will be over quickly.

I grew up on a farm in the Free State. Dirt, animals, open sky. I didn’t know it was special until I left. Working in health, I’ve come to understand what a childhood like that does to a nervous system; it regulates you. The ground under your feet, the rhythm of seasons, the honesty of the natural materials around you. We’re wired for it.

“I arrived with a feeling, not a floor plan. I needed soft curves, natural materials, a vegetable garden and a natural pool. I had a strong intuition for what a nervous system needs from its environment. Ilan translated that into material choices; the limestone underfoot, the oak joinery, the handmade terracotta…”

– Daphne Green, Petrichor host and co-creator

Ilan

Evenings are when the house shifts. The terracotta lights start to glow as the daylight fades. The architecture dissolves, and the home appears.

The sauna has become a daily ritual. It’s wood-fired, which means your planning starts two hours before you want to sit in it. That slowness is part of it, by the time it’s ready you’ve shifted gear. Sitting in the heat, overlooking the Tsitsikamma range, everything drops away. It’s the smallest space on the property and it gives me the biggest peace and healing.

My relationship with weather and seasons has shifted since living here. Being off-grid has forced me to become intimate with the natural world. As a city boy, I was initially overwhelmed, but it’s become the biggest gift. Not only the technical learning, but the gratitude for clean water, for the power of the sun.

Ilan and Daphne built their home around two core ideas; provenance – knowing where something comes from and finding integrity at every step, and that what you surround yourself with – from people to animals, to the materials you choose to live with, shape who you are. At Mungo, with our cloth rooted in process, and the people who make it connected to all steps in production, we resonate with this.

Petrichor and Mungo don’t ask you to admire them; they ask to live in them. Barefoot, with your family and friends, with seasonal joy in the everyday. And if you let it, that kind of living with and amongst, will change you.

As Ilan says “When you surround yourself with things that have a genuine story, your space becomes calmer. Even if your mind can’t name it, your body can tell the difference.”

It’s three o’clock on a warm afternoon. We’re seated in a coffee shop in central Paarl, moving from outside under the trees to a quiet corner. Light cracks through the window, illuminating the sage green wallpaper, patterned with storybook-style birds and creeping vines. There are hanging plants, an eclectic mix of artworks, and pastel-toned ceramics – very on-brand for the guest.

I’m sitting down with artist Lené Ehlers. Over the course of two hours, we’ll talk about art and process – and a creative approach to life. About trusting your intuition, and following the path that feels most aligned.

Although we’re tucked into this cosy nook, beside a doorway where visitors come and go (one of whom is Lené’s mom), I imagine her back in her studio: a familiar pair of overalls, flecked with paint.

“There’s a pair of pants I always wear, and a T-shirt with paint spots – I have to wear that uniform, because the paint gets everywhere.”

The image adds to the idyll: life and work flowing interchangeably. The artist part of the process; blending into her work. Leaving touches of herself – like a signature. The hopeless – or in this case, hopeful – romantic embedded into every stroke.

I wonder about the interplay of living and working – the degree of separation (if any) required for the creative. Particularly for someone who lives in a home-meets-studio.

“Aren’t you tempted to just roll out of bed, pick up a brush, and do another stroke?” I ask.

“I used to be like that. But the thing with painting is that you need the right light. I’ve tried candlelight, but natural light is best – so I don’t have that temptation to work through the night.”

Looking at Lené’s pieces, there is considerable romance. The palettes are soft and calming. The overall effect is dreamy and sensory.

We talk about her chosen subject matter, and the feeling it evokes. The drawing of inspiration from something visually pleasing – and how this itself is a kind of fresh, radical concept. How the pursuit of the pleasurable, of beauty, might stand against modern art as we know it: pieces viewed with a sense of detachment or disillusionment. Works in white-walled spaces that require a certain kind of cerebral engagement.

Emotive. Sensory. Pleasing in palette and subject. Lené’s floral-driven works create a sense of softness and comfort. These are pieces to be lived with and enjoyed – not just observed.

“In traditional gallery spaces, I often feel like it’s a cold atmosphere to interact with art. Some people feel like they need to engage with a piece in a particular way. But in a warm space, you’re more comfortable. You can experience it in your own way.”

In 2022, Lené found a fitting ‘cosy’ home for her work after meeting Michael Chandler of Chandler House.

“Chandler House has this homey feel. I could immediately see my paintings living in that kind of space. Michael collects antique interiors – couches, kilims, ceramics – so it creates a picture. It’s immersive, and that suits the work.”

That show marked a turning point – both aesthetically and emotionally. It affirmed the path she was on, and helped define the distinctive style of her current work: painterly florals, thick with texture, laced with textile influences.

“At that first exhibition, Michael introduced me to a woman who imports Suzanis – traditional textiles from Uzbekistan. These have become a major inspiration in my work. He could see I had a pattern-driven aesthetic, but needed a little something more. From that show, I actually bought my first Suzani – so it’s a sentimental piece too.”

While Lené’s medium today is oil on canvas, her roots lie in floristry.

“While I was studying in Stellenbosch, I worked at a florist on weekends. When I graduated, I started doing flowers full time – working at different companies for around five years. Then I slowly began illustrating on the side, just for myself. That led to an exhibition in a gallery I’d admired. And it just built from there. Eventually, I started experimenting with paint, and now I’m doing full-on oils.”

Her earlier pieces, done in acrylic ink on paper, were more experimental – hints of florals embedded within patterns. Now, she’s arrived at something more grounded: flowers centre stage, with subtle echoes of pattern and textile below.

Lené’s current oil works are rich in texture – thick, expressive, and slow to dry. Sometimes a single piece can take up to three months to complete. And the process is tactile. Instinctual. Driven by feeling.

“I don’t overthink it. I start by going to the flower market and picking colours that speak to me. Then I arrange them in a vase, choose a cloth, and begin painting. I get a lot of joy from curating the still life before I even touch the brush.”

But how does it begin?

“I have synesthesia – when I feel something, I see a colour. So the palette very much comes from a certain state of mind.”

The work unfolds intuitively – following the flow of a line, or called to a colour, by instinct. It’s an approach to process, but also a kind of ordering principle to life. A way of being in flow. Living a life defined by your own terms. Engrossed by the work, and letting what feels right lead.

And for those wanting to be led by that freedom of feeling; by the freedom to lead a creative life – what is her advice?

“Start small. But take aligned steps. People ask me: should I get a gallery? Should I go it alone? I can’t answer that. That’s between you and your journey. You have to do what feels right for you. There are no right or wrongs.”

Before we part, I ask Lené about her dream exhibition space. I half expect her to say a sunlit gallery in Paris, or the splendour of the Tate or the Louvre. But her answer is simpler. More grounded. Entirely in keeping with everything she’s said.

“I see my artworks in cosy heritage homes. A warm place with wooden floors. Above a mantelpiece. That would make me very happy – to know that my paintings were in a happy home.”

Words by Georgina Selander

Photography by JD Allin

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“Come at 4am. There’ll be loud music playing and the coffee machine will be on.”

Say no more.

There’s a sweet serendipity to be invited in behind the scenes – when someone opens the private doors to their passion. And more so when those doors open with the scent of butter and bread.

It’s the early hours in Yzerfontein – it’s the West Coast, and the sun won’t rise until close to 8am. The streets are quiet, the air smells salty, blowing off the cold Atlantic water. There’s a soft drizzle of rain.

You park in the parking lot. Close to the midnight hours, the streets are blue-black. But there’s a light shining through the glass doors at Rosemead Artisan Bakery. Inside, a man is moving back and forth between the floured countertops. Behind him are big – very big – ovens. You watch a while before you go inside. The scene is romantic. Idyllic. Like the opening credits to a movie. Anything seems possible.

It’s quiet now. But in a few hours there will be people quickly setting foot inside – the barefoot surfer and his dog, the genteel older couple with their newspaper, the young bohemians who are glad to be out of Cape Town. Some will even arrive before opening time, hoping for an early coffee. If it were December, then the line would be long – an unending stream for three to four hours. So you’re lucky you’ve paid a visit on a Thursday in March. Over the course of the morning (four hours pass by in an instant) you’ll watch these comers-and-goers. All of them Brett will greet. He seems to be on a first-name basis with most. You’ll also meet his brother, his mother-in-law (who makes the rusks), and even his wife and children – who live five minutes up the road.

When you go inside, the musical score is fitting: Don Henley’s Boys of Summer. An exceptionally apt theme tune for a bakery with a distinctly laid-back feel. But don’t let the vibe deceive you – there is a serious approach to quality here. This may, or may not (you’ll have to find out for yourself), be the best bread you ever try. And you won’t be the first to think so – in fact, 893 people have vouched for it on Google reviews. The most recent of which proclaims:

“This is the best bakery in [the] Cape Province. If you walk in you are part of an experience. The smell, the look and the people… If I [were to] live in Yzterfontein, this bakery will lead to my end, they will have to put their bread in my coffin one day. I challenge you to prove me wrong.”

I ask Brett about this. His response is humble. It’s clear that whatever is happening here – the subtle magic – has happened organically. They don’t have a website. Their Instagram page is refreshingly uncurated. Their Facebook page was hacked a few years ago and never revived (much to Brett’s satisfaction). And if you look around the bakery, you’ll find no sign at the till begging you to leave a review. You aren’t being coaxed into a positive feeling. That becomes all the more part of the growing excitement. Social media might have made things so agonisingly accessible that barely anything seems like a hidden gem. The untapped, untouched spaces of the planet have been overrun by the uninfluential influencer. But here you are, feeling like you’re privy to something sacred.

So what is it? Why do people keep coming back? Why can’t you get your hands on a baguette in December? Well, it’s that ‘thing’ of course – the timeless basics: good. Simple. Delicious. No frills, no fuss – no lipstick on a pig. It’s an ‘if you know, you know’ type of situation.

The idea is to stick to the classics and do them incredibly well, with the best quality ingredients. “We have three kids, and we want everyone to be nourished – not just fed,” says Brett.

The atmosphere at Rosemead Artisan Bakery encapsulates a sense of the unhurried, unpretentious surfer town – the Muizenberg, perhaps, of 10 years ago, before gentrification became an actualised buzzword. It’s honest and easy-going and not dolled up for show. And it makes sense – in a way, owner and Head Baker Brett Nortier has recreated a sense of his upbringing in the ‘Deep South’, where he cut his culinary teeth by learning the basics at his aunt’s bakery in Kalk Bay.

“In my mid-teens, my aunt returned from a small French village where she’d been learning to bake. She opened a bakery in a double garage on Rosmead Road, an old cobbled street in Kalk Bay. For pocket money, my brother and I helped out – making cheese sticks, coffee, whatever was needed. The bakery was just across from a great wave, so we’d come in early, bake, go for a surf, and help out again after. It was a cool way to grow up – walking down in the mornings, watching the sunrise over the sea. My aunt would be on the wall, waving her arms to call us in: ‘We’re busy! Come and help.’ Back then we didn’t have phones. From Grade 6, we’d be surfing in Kommetjie or Kalk Bay, just leaving notes on the fridge with a whiteboard marker: ‘In Noordhoek. See you at 8.’”

After school, Brett went to culinary school, where he met his wife, Anli. “We were both doing fine-dining internships – I was at the Greenhouse, then rated the top restaurant in the country, and she was at Terroir. After that, we helped out at my aunt’s bakery again before moving to Stellenbosch, where we spent five years at a great bakery – I probably learned the most there. But we wanted to be near the sea and always dreamed of starting something of our own. Ten years ago, we visited for a weekend, and someone mentioned a spot we could rent – a padstal on the R27. We checked it out and said, ‘Let’s do it.’ We took out a loan and launched with just the two of us – she did pastry, I did bread. I handled deliveries, she did the invoicing. We were washing dishes, doing everything ourselves. Some nights we only slept two or three hours, then started again the next day. Slowly we added help, and eventually moved here – we’ve been in this building for seven years now. This was the original Yzerfontein shop – it had the old-school Coca-Cola sign and everything.”

The approach at Rosemead runs through every aspect – local, artisanal, well-crafted. From the traceable supply chain (all the suppliers are written on a blackboard), who form a network of mindful, quality-focused makers that supply their flour, their coffee, their eggs, and their meat, through to the wares.

“What I started realising is the more these kinds of like-minded businesses can support each other, the better – consciously buying something from the smaller guy. We’ve got a lady up the road who supplies us with eggs – gosh, those chickens have a good life! And our coffee cup sets – they’re handmade by a friend of ours who’s a potter. Each one is a little different and yes, they cost a bit more, but they’re super special.”

What’s to be loved is also the process in action. You can see it all happening – the loaves go in, they come out. The timers tick and the mixers churn in plain sight. And periodically, the smells keep changing: first, the nutty scent of the first loaves. A wash of butter as the croissants come out. A wave of sweetness, like a cloud, when the pasteis de nata emerge. No wonder you don’t want to leave.

And the man behind it all is baking. Baking, sharing a joke with the staff, and enjoying a toasted sandwich by the window – where he waves off a mom and her son, who each carry off a loaf of sourdough, carefully wrapped in tissue paper like the beautiful bounty that they are. “People are surprised to see the owner working behind the scenes,” says Brett.

The quality is consistent – that’s a non-negotiable. But, like all things artisanal, you’ll find subtle variations. And perhaps this in itself is reason enough to keep coming back – to see how the flavour of their sought-after sourdough subtly shifts with the seasons.

“People ask, ‘Is your bread as good as this person’s bread?’ I’d say you’d have to eat our bread 10 days in a row – winter, spring, summer, autumn – and then do that at every other bakery. Because every loaf is not going to be perfect every day. The temperature is different every day, the flour is different every day. Also, we all have different opinions – I like it to be really dark, and the crust to be a bit too thick. My wife prefers it a bit lighter and crispy. So what’s perfect for me and perfect for you is completely different. And I think that’s what makes it so unique – that we have customers coming in and saying they want the slightly darker one.”

As the world becomes increasingly overrun by AI – spreading its bland canvas in the pursuit of singularity, perfection, uniformity – these qualities are surely going to become increasingly desirable: the hand of the maker, the imperfectly perfect. And so too will the spaces like Rosemead Artisan Bakery, where you’ll find community. Connection. And good conversation.

“We’re here to make people happy. People must feel relieved when they come here.”

It’s easy to believe.

“We’ve got ten minutes to kill. Would you like a croissant and a coffee?”

It’s an easy yes. And soon, a thing of beauty is placed in front of you – burnished and buttery, still warm from the oven.

“Nothing better than that right?”

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Words by Georgina Selander
Images by JDee Allin

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Each tea towel is woven on our restored Lancashire looms, which date back to the late 1800s. The unique feature of these antique looms is their shuttle, the bobbin inside which lies the yarn-wound pirn, and which carries the weft (left to right) threads across the warp. The special characteristic of shuttle loom weaving is its ability to produce a true selvedge, a self-bound edge that requires no extra hemming. We’ve left the true selvedge exposed on the short ends of our Chelsea Tea Towel, as a hallmark of traditional craftsmanship.

Fitting to the floral theme of the show, each tea towel features a delicate floral design, brought to life on our looms using an antique handweaving pattern. This pattern is drawn from a historic book of weaving, reimagined into colourful expression on our looms. A design that comfortably finds its place in our range – merging traditional weaving techniques with contemporary designs and palettes.

Traditional Weaving – The Back Story of our Lancashire Looms

At the Mungo Mill in Plettenberg Bay, you’ll find a cross-section of weaving machinery and technology that spans from pre-industrial to present-day. Included in our collection, are two original Lancashire looms, carefully restored by our Master Weaver, Stuart Holding.

Stu, who grew up in High Bentham, completed his apprenticeship in the Yorkshire silk mills in the 1960s – an experience that cultivated a lifelong passion for cloth-making. A few decades later, he was gifted two antique Lancashire looms, on which he began weaving runs of tea towels from his studio in Plettenberg Bay.

With the launch of our UK/EU store, and our showcase at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Stu’s journey comes full circle. What began in the mills of Yorkshire several decades ago, and took shape in South Africa, has now returned to the UK… Quality, natural fibre woven textiles  – in your area (or at your door). 

A soft introduction to South African textiles in the heart of Mayfair.

At the tail end of April, we hosted our first industry breakfast in London – an intimate morning curated by Alice Wawrik (@by_alice_home), designed to introduce Mungo to a circle of editors, stylists, and creatives who share a love of beautiful, considered design.

Set in the cosy surrounds of Kleinsky’s, the beloved Cape Town deli’s new London outpost in Mayfair, the morning featured a relaxed spread of bagels, coffee, and a few glasses of Babylonstoren’s Sprankel (a nod to our South Africa roots) served alongside our signature homeware collection: flat-weave towels, textural cotton blankets, heirloom-quality table linens and natural fibre cushions.

South African Craft, Now Closer to Home

With the launch of our UK/EU store, the journey of Mungo comes full circle. What began in the mills of Yorkshire, and took shape in South Africa, has now returned to the UK – our textiles are now available with local distribution and fast, flat-rate shipping – no surprise duties, no long waits, just South African textiles at your door.

Thank you to all those who joined us for this first London moment.

Photographed by @morganelay

From UK to South Africa – and Back: The Story of Mungo

The story of Mungo begins long before the first flat-weave towel was woven or the mill doors opened.

Born in High Bentham – a hamlet with three textile mills – our founder and Master Weaver, Stuart Holding, was immersed in the world of weaving from a young age. In the 1960s, he undertook a five-year apprenticeship in the Yorkshire silk mills, a formative journey that would spark a lifelong passion for textile making.

From there, the story unfolds with adventure, family (and love). Stuart travelled the world, eventually settling in South Africa’s Garden Route, where he met his wife, Janet, and laid down roots.

In 1998, working from an old barn at Old Nick Village (a historic homestead that now houses our mill and flagship store), he began weaving short runs of natural fibre textiles on two carefully restored Lancashire looms. His vision was to make quality, considered, natural fibre homeware – and to make the process of visible to all who wished to see it.

Today, Mungo has grown from that barn into Mungo Mill, and is now home to a team of nearly 100. And yet, those original looms still run, and many of Stuart’s earliest designs remain part of the range. Our mill doors are open to the public – so if you ever find yourself in the area, please pay us a visit, and see the process in action.

Read next: What’s In a Name? The Story Behind ‘Mungo.’

Rich in pattern and texture, the Whalebone Throw adds bold accent to your interior styling – making it as much of a decorative piece as a functional one.

A versatile, companion for all seasons. 

Woven with 100% cotton, the Whalebone Throw is more than just a blanket—it’s an all-season essential. Soft to the touch, lightweight yet cosy, this throw offers the perfect balance of comfort and practicality. Whether you’re layering it on cooler nights or adding extra warmth in the winter, its breathable design makes it the ideal companion year-round.

Striking in pattern and rich in texture, it effortlessly doubles as a statement piece, adding bold accents to your living space. Easy to care for, The Whalebone Throw will maintain its softness and colour brilliance over time, offering luxurious comfort for everyday use.

A Fresh Take on A Classic

Every design has a story, and the Whalebone Throw is no exception. “The Bakuba Throw has been a staple in our collection for years,” explains designer Ray Cele. It has that soft, breathable handle of pure cotton, with a really beautiful zig-zag design. With the Whalebone, we wanted to take that classic feel and give it a contemporary twist.”

Inspired by the idea of creating something bold yet refined, our design team set out to craft a throw that felt both timeless and fresh. “We played with textures and patterns to bring a more modern aesthetic into the fold, without losing the familiar softness and quality that people love about our throws.”

It’s All in the Details

It’s the small details that make the Whalebone Throw truly stand out. The multi-directional weave, featuring an intricate combination of twill and plain weave patterns, creates a striking visual effect. “The design almost has a 3D appearance,” Cele explains. “The recurring diamond motif is enhanced by raised ribs, adding dimension and texture. What you get is this very visual, undulating pattern. When you look at it up close you can really see all the little intricate details.”

First Tests to Finished Cloth

“After the first prototypes came out, it was clear that something was missing – it needed a finished touch. So we started experimenting with borders, adjusting the draft—essentially how the pattern is set up on the loom.”

What followed was a series of tests, tweaking the weave structure to strike the perfect balance between design, softness, and durability. “It took time to get it just right, but the final product is something quite special.”

Now available in Copper, Palm, Taupe, and Papaya. Shop online or in our stores across Cape Town, Joburg, Stellenbosch and Plettenberg Bay.

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A kikoi is more than just a cloth. Worn, wrapped, or draped, or spread, it’s a versatile garment that makes the ultimate travel companion or trans seasonal wardrobe staple.

The beauty of the kikoi lies in its multi-functionality. Whether used as a sarong, scarf, lightweight throw, beach wrap or baby sling, it’s a staple for travel and everyday life. With a durable weave that makes it a cherished companion for years to come.

Breezy and beach-bag ready, the simple (but mighty) kikoi carries with it the spirit of a sun-soaked coastline, or unhurried days on holiday.

The Story Behind the Kikoi

The kikoi, a rectangular piece of woven cloth, holds a rich history rooted in East Africa, particularly along the Swahili coast. Originally introduced by Arab traders centuries ago, the kikoi quickly evolved into a cultural icon, loved for both its vibrant patterns and practical use. Traditionally used as sarongs, kikois also serve a variety of purposes, including shawls, scarves, head wraps or throws.

Kikois, a versatile travel companion

Lightweight and quick-drying, the kikoi is a versatile companion for days on the go, and summer holiday adventuring – easily stashed in your beach tote or hiking backpack, transitioning from a quick-drying beach towel to a scarf or wrap when the sun dips. Sprawl it out over grass as a picnic blanket, wrap up your souvenirs in your travel case, or convert it into a baby sling if you’ve got a little one in tow.

It’s the year-round, well-loved companion for any adventure – one that makes the ultimate gift for any friend or family member.

GOTS-Certified Organic Cotton

The Organic Ruti Kikoi is woven from GOTS-certified organic cotton. The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a globally recognised certification that ensures that the cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers – safeguarding soil health, water quality, and biodiversity. It also upholds ethical labour standards, ensuring fair treatment of farmers and workers throughout the supply chain.

This naturally cultivated cotton results in a fabric that’s gentle on the skin, soft to the touch and breathable for year-round use.

Woven on Traditional Shuttle Looms

Our Organic Ruti Kikois are woven at our mill in Plettenberg Bay on our mid-century Ruti looms. 

One of the distinguishing features of the Ruti loom is its shuttle – a wooden bobbin inside which rests the yarn-carrying pirn. The shuttle, which flies back and forth across the warp (or vertical threads), has the unique ability to produce a true selvedge. This tightly woven, self-finished edge, which runs the length of the woven cloth, requires no extra hemming, and is a hallmark of traditional shuttle loom weaving. You’ll find the selvedge on our Lancashire loom products – our Summer Towels, and baby blankets – as well as our Linen Scarves. Look out for it as a sign of artisanal, small-batch textile weaving.

Traditional Weaving, Timeless Design

Our Ruti looms form a key piece in our story of textile making through the ages (at the Mungo Mill you’ll find a display of weaving techniques and technology right back from prehistoric times to present day). 

Our Rutis, thought to date around 1960, are semi-automatic pirn-change looms. These looms, at one time the height of weaving technology, stop when the shuttle runs out of thread. This intelligent feature revolutionise the industry, improving efficiency, and allowing a single weaver to operate multiple looms at once. 

At our mill, you’ll find two Rutis in operation. Pay a visit and see them in action – our mill doors are always open for visitors.

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For those who’ve visited our Cape Town store at 78 Hout Street, you may already be familiar with the sight and sound of our antique Hattersley loom. Affectionately nicknamed ‘Hattie’, this cherished 130-year-old shuttle loom faithfully wove runs of Cook’s Cloths for several years. Her distinctive clattering sound, produced by the shuttle – the yarn-carrying bobbin that flies back and forth across the warp, weaving the weft (or left-to-right threads) – often drew curious visitors to our shop doors.

A few years ago, as the Mungo Mill entered its next chapter, we made the decision to return Hattie to our headquarters in Plettenberg Bay. Here, she can be tended to by those who know how to keep her running and join our full collection of looms. Today, she stands proudly at the front of the mill, serving as a historic jewel in our collection of weaving techniques and technology through the ages – from prehistoric times to the present day. For those who’ve yet to visit our mill, our doors are always open. Here, you can connect product to the process and witness how the first threads become finished cloth.

Hattie has tried on a few new hats since her early days, including weaving a limited edition run of silk, mohair, and bamboo scarves – a creative collaboration between our design intern, Neta, and resident designer, Lenore. Most recently, she’s returned to weaving Cook’s Cloths. An original Mungo design, first brought to life by our Master Weaver, Stu Holding, it has now been reimagined by Ray and Lenore from our design team.

So, what is a Cook’s Cloth, you ask? It’s a versatile kitchen cloth meets apron – designed to seamlessly transition between tasks. Woven with a cotton warp and a cotton-linen blend weft, the Cook’s Cloth is both durable and absorbent, perfect for cleaning, drying, and mopping up spills like a traditional dishcloth. But with the addition of a waist tie, it transforms easily into an apron. And for those who like a bit of coverage while eating, the buttonhole allows it to be secured neatly over your shirt button.

Each Cook’s Cloth features a traditional true selvedge – a tightly woven, non-fraying edge that requires no additional hemming and is unique to shuttle loom weaving. With its contemporary palette and timeless herringbone weave, the Cook’s Cloth makes the perfect gift for anyone who knows their way around a kitchen (or a braai).

Watch the video

A lot has changed since this video was made. Hattie now resides in the Mungo Mill in Plettenberg Bay and continues to rhythmically weave life into contemporary textiles.

More from our blog:
Rehoming Hattie | The Story of the Hattie Wrap

In December 2024, 631 swimmers took to the waters in Cape Town and the Garden Route for the 4th annual Mungo Swim Club. With 8 clubs in Glencairn, Camps Bay, Hout Bay, Greyton, Plettenberg Bay, Buffelsbaai, Nature’s Valley and Knysna, we collectively raised over R170,000, which was donated to I AM WATER Foundation, Nature’s Valley Trust and Cultural Connections, supporting ocean conservation and community upliftment.

To all who took part, well done on taking up the challenge. You were, like us, perhaps driven by the collective feeling that an early morning dip does wonders for the soul, and by the spirit of impacting meaningful change in your respective communities. Or perhaps by the keen sense that you never regret a swim…

We hope you feel revived. And that your custom Mungo towels remind you fondly of your swims. Here’s to Swim Club 2025.

Here’s What You Had to Say About It…

More from our blog:

Beyond the Waves | The Winter Solstice Swim | The Evolution of the Willow Beach Towel

After venturing into the mill to see our looms in action, where they witness first threads being woven into finished fabric, the students then visit our flagship store next door. Here they have a chance to touch and feel the finished cloth on the shelves, while our retail manager, Jonica, chats to them about fibres, weaves, colours and more – plus the ins and outs of running the shop floor and everything it entails… 

The design-your-own-kikoi workshop.

Guided by our designer, Lenore, the students learn the basic principles of design and colour theory. They explore concepts like ‘form versus function,’ experiment with sources of inspiration, and dive into the world of colour, before tackling the highlight of the day: designing their own kikoi.

After combing through magazines for colour, mood and pattern inspiration, the students select their desired yarn colours and make wrappings – winding threads into looped bundles to be attached to their finished designs. Each student is given graph paper, and designing begins. Colourways are created through combinations of warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) stripes, and filled in with coloured pens to match the chosen yarns.

Time to Vote

After all the designs are complete, Lenore renders each one into a digital simulation. The designs are then shared with our friends, followers, and the wider community to determine a standout design.

With a winner chosen, production begins. The finished kikoi is woven to life on our looms at the Mungo Mill, and the cloth cut and prepped for sale – online and in our stores.

After combing through magazines for colour, mood and pattern inspiration, the students select their desired yarn colours and make wrappings – winding threads into looped bundles to be attached to their finished designs. Each student is given graph paper, and designing begins. Colourways are created through combinations of warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) stripes, and filled in with coloured pens to match the chosen yarns.

And The Winner Is…

‘Galaxy’ was designed by Jeslynn Windvogel, and wraps up our 2024 Kids of Kurland Kikoi Project.

All proceeds from ‘Galaxy’ go directly back to the Crags Primary School, supporting the hiring of a much-needed additional teacher.

A Truly Feel-good Purchase.

The Kids of Kurland Kikoi is an annual project run by our Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, MOVE. Since 2018, we’ve dedicated 1% of our profits to initiatives that uplift the Plettenberg Bay community, where our mill and flagship store are located. 

The 2024 Kids of Kurland Project is now in its sixth year. And next year, we’ll do it again.

Previous Kids of Kurland Winners

Christmas gift ideas got you stumped?
Don’t get your tinsel in a tangle.

 

We’ve got you covered with the ultimate Christmas gift guide –
gifts for him, for her, for Mum, for Dad, or even that quirky uncle nobody quite likes…
Explore the best Christmas gifts for everyone on your list below.

More from our blog:

Furoshiki | The Art of Cloth Wrapping

The Savannah Blanket marks a new milestone for Mungo—a first-of-its-kind multi-texture blanket that blends varying weave constructions into a striking patchwork of pattern and texture. We spoke to our designer, Lenore, about the prototyping, process and palette behind this innovative new creation.

Where did the idea for the Savannah Blanket come from?

The concept for the Savannah Blanket started a while ago, with the idea to create a blanket with multiple weave constructions. We wanted to achieve that in a way that gave texture and dimension, and that added a soft feel. 

Initially, we were limited by our old looms because they didn’t have enough shafts – the frames that lift and lower groups of warp threads to allow the weft to go through. The number of shafts determines the complexity of the patterns, and the more shafts, the greater the design possibilities.

The idea really came together with the arrival of our newest looms in mind. In June we received four state-of-the-art Dornier looms, custom-built for us in Lindau, Germany. 

Talk us through the early design phase.

I started sampling on our Saurer loom, which has 16 shafts, and so allows for a bit more design flexibility than our 12-shaft Dornier machines. The early tests didn’t come out right, and it took quite a lot of iterating.

What kinds of issues did you need to overcome?

It was quite a process, because each pattern has its own characteristics, and there’s a major difference between the woven cloth that comes off the loom (we call this ‘loomstate’), and once it comes back from a first wash. After washing, the textile shrinks – bulking up and changing its shape. Because of the different textures, some sections shrunk and others didn’t, creating alternating areas of cockled and smooth cloth. We had to find a way to get one pattern to flow into the next.

The Savannah Blanket also uses a cotton and linen ‘slub yarn’, where the thickness varies. This adds to the blanket’s texture, but also needed to be taken into consideration.

How do the new Dornier machines open up creative possibilities?

We’ve always had to be more experimental with our designs because our older looms have limited capabilities. Pattern and play needs to come through weave constructions and stripe designs. For me, that’s always been the most exciting part – working within those limitations and pushing your creativity. 

Our new Dornier looms have 24 shafts, which doubles our creative possibilities. They also allow us to directly transfer the designs onto the looms, whereas with our older machines we hand-punch the pattern cards. This can be a very time-consuming process; in the early sampling of the Savannah Blanket, it took two days to punch the card for the Saurer loom. So these new machines streamline our processing significantly. Changes can be made immediately, and so there’s a lot of more flexibility and efficiency.

What inspired the palette of the Savannah Blanket?

If you go to the Drakensberg in the dry season, there are those yellows and browns and dry grasses. The Grasslands colourways speaks of that. And then its antithesis, the rainy season – that’s Monsoon. So it’s sort of that blend of rocks and sand that you might see whilst hiking; an imitation of nature and its textures. 

What are your thoughts on the overall effect?

This was a new concept for us – making a blanket with multiple textures, as usually our textiles only have a single weave. The effect is quite beautiful and vivid, like an artwork. I think it’s really exciting. It’s exciting to see how we can move our designs into a whole new dimension. New looms, new design possibilities… Watch this space.

More from our blog:

From Yorkshire to South Africa with Stuart Holding | Barefoot Luxury | The Story of the Double Cloth

The Story Behind the Grill Apron

 One summer holiday, a long time ago, a lively household was embroiled in a classic family debate. The source of contention? The indiscriminate use of a kitchen cloth.
Some were of the opinion that a single cloth could handle everything – from holding greasy tongs and wiping off oily fingers, to mopping up spills or scattered coffee grounds.
However, others held a differing view.

So there was only one way to settle it. A new cloth would emerge, designed to meet every need.
A cloth that could rival all others in its utility – navigating the chaos of the kitchen or the barbecue with its versatility (and good looks).

Enter, the Grill Apron.

The Grill Apron is designed to meet all your kitchen or fireside culinary needs. A cloth that will allow you to grill with gusto or cook with abandon.
It’s the kind of companion that every passionate pit master needs. Or for anyone who wants to dress to impress in the kitchen.

No need for that dismally dirty, shoulder-slung dishcloth
when you’ve got a Grill Apron at your side.

Who needs the Grill Apron?

The versatility of the Grill Apron makes it the perfect gift for almost anyone who knows their way around a barbecue, a kitchen, or a backyard.

A multi-use addition that’s sure to top the ‘best gift ever received’ list for any deserving dad, barbecue-obsessed boyfriend or female who can handle the flames..

If you, or your significant other, is into any of following, this is the ultimate cloth for:

• • Barbecuing
  • Cooking
  • Baking
  • Home DIY
  • Gardening
  • Crafting
  • Looking cool
  • Saving the day
  • BBQ Thor/Campfire Cowboy cosplay

Barbecue with it, clean surfaces with it, protect your hands from the flames with it, hold hot plates with it, wipe your hands on it, keep food warm with it, cook up a storm with it.

You get the drill/grill…

Let’s face it – cooking is a messy business.

If you’ve covered every counter surface, used every pot and pan at your disposal, lost a stukkie of the wors to the dog, or spilled red wine all over your new shoes, you’re probably doing something right and everyone is having fun. 

But we all know that heavy is the title of ‘Barbecue Master’. So you might as well look good while doing it.

The Grill Apron Colourways

More from our blog:

 Provincial Onion and Camembert Tart | In the Kitchen with Karen Dudley