A manufacturer of vibrant handmade and hand-painted candles, built on family values and focused on creating sustainable employment. This is Kapula.
Kapula began as a hobby in Ilse Appelgryn’s kitchen in 1993 and quickly took on a life of its own, becoming a fully-fledged family business in 1994. Today, Kapula continues to grow from strength to strength.
CANDLES
Kapula's unique candles are all handmade in Bredasdorp, a small town situated in the heart of South Africa's beautiful Overberg region.
Our raw materials are all meticulously sourced to ensure that every Kapula product is of the utmost quality. Each and every product is crafted by hand from beginning to end.
UNIQUE AND
VIBRANT DESIGN
A Kapula design is unmistakable - it's colourful, brave, and reflective of Africa's vibrant spirit. The design team comprises of Ilse, her daughter and the hand-painters themselves. This inclusive, collaborative approach ensures variety in line with current trends as well as a sense of ownership for all team members.
CREATING SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT
In a small farming community where it is not easy to find a job, we remain fiercely loyal to our handmade processes in order to ensure sustainable employment for as many people as possible.
More than 90% of our employees are women, half of which have been part of our team for more than 10 years.
"We believe that empowerment and skills development can make a real difference in our community and we thus regularly partner with organisations on such initiatives. One such partnership with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism recently led to the employment of 10 local high school graduates, not only providing them with employment, but also valuable working skills and experience."
- Darren Nesbitt, Kapula OPERATIONS MANAGER
CAPE CRAFT + DESIGN INSTITUTE
Kapula has been a prominent member of the Cape Craft and Design Institute since their inception. We regularly participate in workshops and send our team members for CCDI training courses, with subjects ranging from creativity to conducting SWOT analyses and life skills.
INTERNATIONAL
EXPORT
Kapula has been exporting its handmade candles and ceramics for over 15 years. At present, our largest international client is Contigo, a Fair Trade retailer and wholesale distributor based in Germany. We also strive to grow our export to the USA and Middle East, as well as Australia, the Far East and the rest of Europe through trade shows and partnering agents.
We are committed to our Kapula family, our community and our country. Our goal for the future is to continue on this path of growth and providing the world with something good - whether it be employment, a new skill, a culture to celebrate, or art to appreciate - and, above all, to continue spreading The Warm Art of Africa.