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The People Behind the Notebook
Cujji Collective is run by a small team of writers and practitioners who spend as much time at the bench as at the desk. We document studios we visit, tools we actually use, and projects we finish — or fail at — ourselves.
Founder & Lead Editor
Former ceramic studio assistant in Durban, now coordinates every studio visit and feature. Lindiwe writes the material sourcing guides and keeps the editorial calendar honest about what actually happens in a workshop.
10 years in craft publishing; trained in glaze chemistry at a local technical college.
Woodworking & Tool Reviews
Pieter builds furniture in a shared Johannesburg workshop and tests every entry-level tool we review. He writes the bench guides and safety checklists, often after breaking something himself.
Carpentry background; currently restoring a 1970s jointer for the workshop floor.
Textile & Dye Projects
Naledi runs natural dye experiments in her home studio and documents the failures as carefully as the successes. She handles the step-by-step project breakdowns and mordant troubleshooting guides.
Trained in textile design; grows indigo and marigold on a small plot outside Pretoria.
Photography & Studio Visits
Thabo photographs the workshops we feature and handles the visual documentation of tools, materials, and finished pieces. He also writes the occasional profile on emerging artists from KwaZulu-Natal.
Documentary photographer; self-taught in studio lighting and product shots.
Community Workshops & Craft Fairs
Annelie coordinates our coverage of seasonal craft fairs and collaborative workshops across the country. She tracks the community calendar and writes practical guides for makers who want to exhibit their work.
Former gallery coordinator; knows the logistics of a market stall better than most.
Graphic Design & Layout
Sipho handles the visual identity of Cujji Collective, from the site layout to the printable project sheets. He also writes about design software and production techniques for small-batch print work.
Graphic designer; runs a risograph side project on weekends.
Independent Editorial Blog
We document the maker movement across South Africa — studio visits, material experiments, and honest tool guides for people who make things by hand.
Our editorial focus is practical: how ceramicists source local clay, how textile artists build natural dye vats, how woodworkers set up a first bench. We write for hobbyists moving toward serious craft practice, with attention to workshop safety, local material sourcing, and the realities of small-batch production.
Each week we publish profiles of emerging artists, step-by-step project breakdowns, and seasonal craft fair roundups. The tone is direct, curious, and grounded in what actually happens inside a working studio.
Studio Visits
Inside the workshops of ceramicists, textile artists, and woodworkers across the country.
DIY Projects
Step-by-step breakdowns with real techniques, material lists, and troubleshooting notes.
Tool Guides
Honest reviews of entry-level equipment for makers upgrading their home workshops.
Community & Craft Fairs
Seasonal event listings and collaborative workshop highlights for local makers.
Our Story
Cujji Collective started as a small editorial experiment between friends documenting studio visits in Cape Town. Over the years, it grew into a reference point for the South African maker movement.
2019 — The First Studio Visit
We published our first profile of a ceramicist working with Western Cape clay. The response from local hobbyists was immediate, and we realized there was a hunger for honest, practical documentation of craft processes.
2021 — Expanding Beyond Pottery
After repeated requests from readers, we added woodworking tool guides and textile dyeing project breakdowns. This shift broadened our audience from ceramics enthusiasts to a wider community of makers.
2023 — Regional Coverage
We began documenting craft fairs and community workshops beyond the Western Cape, covering Johannesburg textile artists and KwaZulu-Natal woodworkers. This expanded our editorial scope and deepened our resource lists.
2025 — A Weekly Editorial Rhythm
Today we publish new profiles, tutorials, and equipment reviews every week. Our archive now includes over a hundred documented projects, each focused on practical technique and local material sourcing.