Bringing the raw, wild elegance of the Karoo desert into your home and wardrobe – discover Frances Van Hasselt’s unique SOFA pieces in our AAFRICAA store.

Woven by hand, inspired by nature. Mohair is the wool of the Angora goat and is one of the world’s oldest textiles. It has been woven for centuries into a luxuriously soft fibre that dates as far back as the 8th century. South Africa with its vast open plains has become the leading mohair-producing country in the world.

At AAFRICAA we love the luxurious lightweight quality of mohair. It keeps you cool in summer yet incredibly warm in winter. It is sensationally soft, yet it’s an extremely durable fibre with the ability to retain strong colours.
Not only is it naturally elastic, it is crease-resistant and feels like you’re wearing a cloud. These are the reasons that make mohair an ideal fibre for weaving into the finest sweaters, jackets and blankets.

At AAFRICA we stock the exquisite SOFA collection of local artist Frances van Hasselt.

Frances van Hasselt spent her childhood growing up on her family farm in the heart of the Karoo. The subtle desert hues and textures of the Karoo landscape are the inspiring elements that are woven into Frances’ designs.

SOFA stands for Supporting Old Factories in Africa; The SOFA Collection works with established mohair factories. Each SOFA jacket and blanket is made from end-of-the-run mohair yarn stock, creating a small, limited-edition collection with unique colourways. Frances plays with a palette ranging from subtle naturals to deep, earthy tones, or colours of the sky and no two garments are alike.

Passionate about preserving traditional hand-weaving practices and craftsmanship in remote areas of South Africa, Frances works with female artisans to hand-spin the mohair into her unique yarn. Each piece pays homage to the hands it was spun from and the land they come from. We love supporting artists that not only create beautiful works of wearable art but have the dream to reimagine an industry.