By Seleoe Nonyane
Reitumetse Damane is a yarn crafter who started crocheting after losing her grandmother who was also a crocheter.
Fondly known as Wriley, Damane this year started a crocheting business named RuruBele, a unique clothing brand that intertwines the delicate art of crocheting with the transformative beauty of the butterfly.
In an interview with theReporter this week, Wriley explained that she creates crotchet pieces using yarn inspired by a butterfly and how it turns from a caterpillar into a butterfly therefore; she turns simple threads of yarn into delicate pieces of art.
She said she posted her first work in June this year although she had been crocheting for a couple of months before publicising her work.
Wriley indicated that after posting her work, she received a lot of positive reviews and that is how she decided to keep going and ultimately create the brand.
She noted that the brand is still new and fresh, and there’s a lot to be expected in the near future.
With the summer season now in full swing, Wriley is in the process of releasing a small collection of swimwear; but generally she crotchets any type of clothing from cardigans, skirts, bags and caps.
She revealed that her plan is to build a sustainable fashion empire where she essentially either thrifts or hand-makes upcycle clothing because in her view factories producing more than is needed cause a lot of environmental problems.
“I intend to build something that goes in the opposite direction of that, which is building sustainably.
“I am going to have a couple of ranges for all people such as a kids range which will be launched soon.
“The plan is also to venture into home décor and interior as well,” she pointed out.
Wriley said crocheting is famously known as a hobby for elderly women and her grandmother was not an exception.
She lamented that her grandmother passed on before making her the socks that she had promised to crotchet for her like she had done for her other grandchildren.
So, with her passing, Wriley decided to crotchet her own socks as a dedication to her grandmother, and that is how she got started.
Wriley indicated that she was not fully committed to it initially and the idea was shelved at the back of her mind for a while until she started seeing other people’s beautiful creations on social media, which reignited her love for crocheting.
She noted that the most prominent issue is the lack of material in the country, adding that the most available type of material is not suitable for all types of items.
Her most popular creation is the headwear range. Wriley said her prices vary depending on the type of design, material, and the time it takes to produce an item.
