How fast did this year go!? Half of it is gone and it feels like there is someone pushing us from behind to just go….go…..go….. Remember how scared we were when we were young and had to go somewhere in the dark on our own? You tried to run as fast as you can, and still there was this feeling of someone so close behind you, that you could almost feel their breath in your neck. It feels like that for me, faster……..faster! And yet, it is slow season and we need to slow down.
However, at Meelbroeke, things are still sometimes going so fast that we cannot keep up! Just the other day we were only making supas and baggies, almost tripping over our feet to produce enough for the nation to wear. And the next moment its cargos and long dungarees! How wonderful is it that Meelbroeke is able to give you something for every season and all in between?
The long dungarees are the talk of the town at the moment, comfortable and warm and very, very trendy. Made of a slightly thicker fabric than the rest of the garments, it is the perfect companion this winter. The more you wash them, the softer they become and the more you will want to wear them and the softer they become the more……well you get it! Have a look on the Retailers Page for a retailer close to you or order online!
Back home, we are stocking up on all garments, colouring and busy with all the shenanigans that put a quality product in your shopping bag! Dyeing these garments in all the beautiful colours is quite a task, but here at Meelbroeke, we believe that we should look after our planet. So your favourite item is made from 100% cotton, it is the strongest cotton available as it is not bleached. Bleaching weakens the fabric and of course, as you can imagine, with the bleaching process a lot of chemicals are used. When we treat the fabric, we recycle water, sometimes up to 4 times to do our part in saving water. We also have a tank and we use rainwater when it is available. Then…..the magic happens! All our clothing is dried in the warm South African sun! There is just no substitute to the real deal. So there you have it! A pure South African product, made, dyed and dried under the blue South African sky. Why would you NOT want one? Go, you need another pair and you know it!
With the current state of things, there are only a few markets operating here and there – and we miss seeing you! But we see more and more emails coming in of bigger markets and even festivals confirming new dates, mostly from October onwards. We as exhibitors pray that this will finally be the start of some normality for us. And we know that you are missing the festivals too. Good music, good food and goodies to buy. J
Back to those childhood fears. Although we feel pressed to move in a direction, we should know that it is important take a deep breath and slow down. CoViD has taken many things from us, but it cannot take our faith in life, in living and in moving forward at our own comfortable pace. It cannot take away our faith that everything, in the end, will be well. It cannot take our faith in the Father that has all this taken care of.
So…….take time to see nature around us taking a rest. And try to not be hurried by the “thing” behind you, whatever it might be. After all, we are all venturing towards the unknown future. You are not alone.
Hope to see you soon at a market or festival. Keep an eye on the Facebook Page Meelbroeke.
Much love
Mari