Johannesburg, South Africa — Sisters Mo Morongwe Mokone and Michelle Mokone have successfully introduced their South African handcrafted home décor to the United States market, showcasing the country’s innovative design capabilities. The co-owners of Mo’s Crib, their company specializes in a variety of handmade décor items, including baskets, planters, and wall art. Now, they aim to expand their reach beyond the U.S. into European and Middle Eastern markets.
According to South Africa Government News Agency, Operations and Supply Chain Director of Mo’s Crib, their products are crafted from unique materials like durable polyvinyl chloride plastic, sourced from landfills and construction sites across South Africa, and various grasses. In 2021, the sisters capitalized on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a United States Trade Act that allows certain Sub-Saharan countries to export a range of goods duty-free to the U.S.
Michelle explained how AGOA greatly benefited their business. Despite having registered for an export certificate in 2019, it was their shipping agent who enabled them to leverage AGOA’s benefits. The act, facilitating duty-free exports, significantly boosted their market access in the U.S. Since then, Mo’s Crib has shipped eight containers of products to the U.S., with plans for two more by the end of 2023. The U.S. market currently accounts for 60% of their total revenue.
The idea for Mo’s Crib originated in the 1990s when Mo crafted homemade art from recycled plastic bags. However, the business formally started as a hobby in 2016, with its first product, Origami Art, selling out quickly at a Christmas market. This success prompted the sisters to leave their corporate jobs in 2019 to focus on the business full-time. Mo previously worked in human resources, while Michelle was an agricultural economist and was completing her master’s in international Trade Law at the University of Bern, Switzerland.
The sisters’ diverse professional backgrounds have significantly contributed to the growth and success of Mo’s Crib in the homeware industry. The business, self-funded since its inception, employs 12 full-time staff and 86 artisans. Over the next two to three years, they plan to create 20 additional jobs.
For more information about Mo’s Crib, contact details and social media links are provided, including a phone number, email address, and profiles on Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook, and LinkedIn under the name “Mo’s Crib” or “The Alice Group (Mo’s Crib).”