About Us

uSisi  Designs consists of a team of ordinary women doing extraordinary work because we are eager to learn and always willing to give our best.  With very little formal education we have found a safe place at uSisi to grow beyond our wildest dreams.

The business is lead by owner/designer Stella Pretorius, who has a passion for craft and creating opportunities for women of all races to improve their lives   We all live in and around Pietermaritzburg, in KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa.

We are passionate about people, design and innovation!!

We are very proud of our adaptability and technical skills and are well known for our interesting  and innovative products. uSisi Designs have been creating beautiful craft for the past 8 years. The technical skills that we use are: crocheting, bead stitching and wire wrapping. We work with a wide variety of materials like copper wire, hemp string, beads and scoobie wire (plastic coated wire).

We have recently started a new range with RECYCLED GLASS. Look at our new range of lights and chandeliers available from August 2011

Our product range from Personal accessories, for example, bracelets, necklaces and brooches, to Home ware like christmas tree decorations, runners, lights, candle holders and wall decorations.

WE have been actively marketing our products through the whole of South Africa, by attending shows like SARCDA, DESIGN INDABA and SA HANDMADE.  We have also been to International trade shows like AMBIENTE in Germany, THE  INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY  SHOW IN LONDON, with the result that our international market is growing. We are also exporting to the USA.

We  are not only dedicated to produce the most innovative and beautiful craft, but also to excellent service to our customers.

Stella comes from a tiny town called Bray on the Botswana/South African border.  It was here that her imagination grew into what it is today – what else do you do in a small town – but make do with what you have and make things for what you don’t have.  Stella is the business owner and the incredible inspiration & designer of each product in the business – every gorgeous item we sell was imagined and made by Stella.

For the past 5 years she had a dream about working with recycled glass. Recently, through  help from the National Arts coucil, that dream is busy taking shape. uSisi Designs are launching the new products made from RECYCLED GLASS BOTTLES at Decorex 2011 in Johannesburg. 

Phumelele, has lived in Pietermaritzburg for the past 10 years and her home is in Westgate.  Phumelele showed such get up and go as a women who made products for uSisi Designs, that we offered her the position of assisting in the production, working closely with Getrude.  Phumelele is wonderful in her job and although she is quite, she really knows how to get things done and has developed hugely in the past year.

Gertrude, never imagined that she would be working for a craft manufacturing business in the heart of Pietermaritzburg, as she comes from Masvingo in Zimbabwe, a little town just near the South African border.  Gertrude, loves her position as the production manager as she has a wonderful gentle personality, that makes her a hit with all the women who make the products for the business.

Karen, has lived in Pietermaritzburg for the past 40 years, so she really knows her way around, and she has brought these exact same skills to the business.  Karen is willing to go anywhere and do anything and is always able to help out.  Karen is the person who makes sure that your parcels of goodies reach you by post or courier safely, and she always does this with love.