By Neo Kolane
Founded with the aim to serve Basotho who do not want to travel far, a proudly Lesotho company called Eco-Craft intends to create uniquely designed pine furniture.
Eco-Craft is located at Ha Mabote next to by Mabote Police Station.
The business vision unites the finest carpentry traditions with modern furniture design through the fusion of timeless steel and primarily pine wood.
The director and chief designer of Eco-Craft, Mapota Mapota, said the furniture is shaped and hand-crafted by true enthusiasts with a perpetual focus.
Mapota explained that his raw materials are steel, pine wood and glass, which he considers as a great combination.
He told theReporter that recycling pine wood from old warehouses is Eco-Craft’s main source of inspiration.
He further said that the love of organic material and uncompromising focus on quality is evident throughout the process; from the first design sketches to the final moments where the furniture is finished and surface treated by hand.
Mapota says he imports most of his raw materials from South Africa.
“I get raw materials from Ladybrand, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg. I use couriers mostly which charge me from M150 to M200 depending on the distance.
“Using my own transportation was a problem because it amounted to more than M800 because of high the petrol and toll gate fees,” Mapota said.
He explained that he tries by all means to ensure that his furniture stands out by getting unique pieces that are not easily available.
He mentions chair handles and stands are part of his unique furniture.
Another thing that makes Eco-Craft stand out according to the founder is the rustic paint and glossy coffee table instead of the normal ones that do not have gloss.
Mapota started off owning a fast food and saw the need of furniture mainly chairs and tables for people to sit in. But he opted to make chairs using tyres back in 2019 when the concept was still eye-catchy.
He explained that the main eco-craft came into existence then.
“As time goes, I saw the market getting saturated because I was not alone anymore. I therefore ventured into indoor furniture because I believed that every household needs to have furniture; from coffee tables to rugs and Eco-craft became what it is,” he indicated.
Eco-Craft’s simplicity, carried to the extreme, turns into elegance.
It recently introduced its all new vintage entry table inspired by classic furniture pieces.
Mapota Mapota can be contacted on +266-6274 4088 while for immediate orders, the marketing manager Reituemtse Mphunyane can be emailed on ecocrafts123@gmail.com
