The Pure Cotton Shop sells pure organic bed linen. Their products are absolutely luxurious and the simple designs speak of sophistication. The bedding is timeless. You will love it still after many years. The throws are my absolute favourite - soft to the touch and the richest colours. Perfect for any room in the house!
The mastermind behind the brand is Marietjie Fouche. We met up with her, had chats about life, building a business and living creatively. We did a mini styled shoot in her beautiful home on the beach in Melkbosstrand and fell in love with her products all over again.
See the interview she kindly granted us below, with some of the snaps taken during the photo shoot. Enjoy!
1. Please tell us a bit more about yourself is and how it all started with The Pure Cotton Shop?
I guess it all started when i was still a child learning from my Mom and Dad. I remember how they planned the building of our family home Dad build was carefully planned with every little detail from the structure to the decor. They always chose the highest quality possible. My Mom loved antiques and collected quality furniture. I am fortunate to have a few of those pieces in my home today. i remember how every detail was carefully planned from their my love for decor quality fabrics and beautiful things.
I also have a deep passion and admiration for creation and people. I love nature and I believe that we were placed on this planet to rule over it and multiply, therefore we are also responsible for looking after our planet the best we can.
Whilst doing an interior decorationg course 8 years ago the dream was born to create a luxury product range that would naturally include being kind to our planet and its people. From there the search and research started into organic cotton not even knowing if it excisted. It eventually took me 9 months to find a supplier that I can trust. Unfortunately we have to import our fabrics as certified organic cotton is not yet available in South Africa. I am looking forward to the day when it will be available locally. It was a conscious choice for me to manufacture local to support our own people and workforce in South Africa.
For me luxury products that are as close as possible to its natural form/state. There is nothing luxurious about products that are so called "sweatshop" products...and products that are causing
harm to our environment. I am a strong believer in choosing products that are durable and long lasting. I would rather go without something than buy an inferior product.
I love spoiling people and our linens are about the experience...my mission is for you to feel spoiled and loved from the moment you receive your product and be able to enjoy it for many years to come.
Every order wrapped, we do so as if we are wrapping a gift for our most special person in the world and my hope is that every person receiving it will feel exactly that.
2. Tell us more about your first range of products you brought out and how it evolved into the luxury brand you currently offer.
The first roll of fabric i imported was a natural color, beautiful soft 200 thread count...I couldn't believe the difference it made to sleep under pure organic cotton, i was instantly in love and from there the journey began....
3. Why should people invest in your products?
Our bed linens are made from pure organic cotton certified by GOTS. Organic cotton is softer and kinder to your skin. Absorbent, breathes well and free from harmful toxins.
it is as specially beneficial for people with skin irritations and eczema. Organic cotton is also the best choice for babies and young children as their skin can absorb 7 times more than adult skins.
Choosing our products you can be sure to invest in the future and wellbeing of our planet and your own healthy environment.
We custom make any design or size and go the extra mile for our customer to source the best quality product at the best possible value.
When choosing organic cotton products make sure the fabrics are certified by a reputable Organisation like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards)
They have very strict certification processes in place and do inspections on a regular basis from field to factory.
4. Please share with us the impact that chemicals sprayed on cotton fields has on the environment.
We as consumers are more and more aware of the choices we make everyday and the effects it has on us and the environment. The choices we make as to what we wear, sleep under and dry ourselves
with is just as important as the food we buy.
Conventional Cotton is thought to be the dirtiest crop in the world due to its heavy use of insecticides and uses the most dangerous pesticides to humans and animals. Cotton covers 2,5% of the worlds cultivated land, but uses $2.6 billion worth of pesticides making it the most pesticide intensive crop grown on the planet.
The World Health Organization has determined some of the most hazardous insecticides to humans are commonly used in cotton production. This has a direct impact on the health of humans,the ecosystem and wildlife. Millions of birds and wildlife die every year from the effects of these chemicals according to Biologists. The runoff water from the fields have a negative effect on rivers, streams and surroundings.
5. Where do you find your inspiration for new products?
I find my inspiration from all the beautiful shapes and colours in nature. I am privileged to live near the beach and every day the colour of the water is a different shade of blue.. light blue, bright blue, faded blue, stormy blue..the bright red of a red pepper, the different shades of greens of leaves. There is just no end to the creativity and colours we find in nature.
6. What are your future plans with The Pure Cotton Shop if we may know!?
I am so excited about the future for The Pure Cotton Shop! Firstly we want to keep our excisting client base happy and well looked after. We want to grow our bed linen range in the market and then we
have more exciting products in the pipe line.
7. Do you have any advice you would like to share that you have found useful in your journey to creating your brand?
Connect with others that have walked the journey before you. Seek advice and help. Don't compromise. Go the extra mile with everything that you do from your research to manufacturing. Look after your clients and treat them as you would your best friend. We are always in the people business first, no matter what you do.
8. If you could do anything differently what would you change?
I would definitely not try to do everything myself. I think life is always trial and error but what I do know is we need others around us to help grow our dream into a reality.
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