NA.SH bags was an idea born out of “Covid” and a collaboration and friendship between a family run safari operation and a family run canvas business - David Foot Safaris and Edgheways Canvas and Upholstery.
With the overnight collapse of tourism, the knock on effect to other businesses was catastrophic. The partnership worked together on the designs and the amazingly skilled brothers Nathan and Ashton (NA.SH) executed and produced these creations - the Weekender, the Tote and the Highstreet shopper. Every part of each bag is sourced solely in Botswana as a way to support local economy.
Each bag is individually crafted thus giving them their authentic rustic charm.
What is now called shweshwe was first worn in South Africa by the Sotho king, Moshoeshoe 1, in about 1840. The cloth, which was brought into the country and only made in the colour indigo, was then called shoeshoe or Isishweshwe after the king. Xhosa women gradually added the fabric to their orange blanket clothing. Botswana also adopted this fabric for traditional attire.
Later the cloth was printed in bright red and chocolate brown. More recently, other colours have been combined with the indigo, brown and red, including black, green, turquoise, pumpkin, shocking pink and yellow/gold.
A large variety of shweshwe designs exists, from florals and stripes to diamond, square- and circular designs.