Nestled in a small rural village in the beautiful the Drakenberg Mountains in the Kingdom of the Zulu, in South Africa, each pair of TSONGA shoes is hand-stitched by Joanna and other talented African craftswomen of the Tsonga tribe.
(See more of the Story) Cut from some of the finest leather in the world, Tsonga's leather uppers are unique soles by the village craft women. With each stitch, the handcrafted comfort TSONGA is famous for is integrated into every shoe.
- Tsonga is currently developing plans and setting up a trust for the construction of the Thread of Hope Training College in Lidgetton.
- The college will focus on adult education and literacy, as well as shoe manufacturing training.
- The long-term plan is to establish a hub of economic activity in this rural area, a group of businesses owned by the members of the community supplying Tsonga with components for the manufacture of the shoes it sells worldwide.
- Phase one of the project will be the construction of lecture rooms and a workshop to accommodate twenty-five students.
- Environmental Progress: Their manufacturing facility roofs have been painted with a ceramic coating to reduce heat emissions.
Tsonga are using eco-friendly materials, such as non-toxic, water-based solvents and vegetable-tanned, chrome-free leathers, which are safe for their employees and kind to the envirmonment.