Meet the Absa Small Business Friday featured Small Business of the week – Made by Mosaic.
Made by Mosaic is the job creation initiative for the foster parents in Mosaic Community Developments. Each employee of Made by Mosaic is currently taking care of two or more orphaned and vulnerable children. Through the production of leather and baked goods, they employ, upskill and train foster parents with limited levels of education. They also help to train matriculants who don’t go to university in administrative duties, computer skills, manufacturing, business systems and how to represent themselves at events for the brand.
Terry Niemack, Managing Director, describes Made By Mosaic as “a very special job creation business that provides foster parents with a dignified, sustainable way to earn a salary and learn skills they can take and use outside of the business.”
Made by Mosaic was established by an American missionary, Jordan Ridge, for Mosaic Community Developments about 12 years ago in Potchefstroom. It started with a group of foster moms knitting scarves, beanies, and blankets for a few hours in the mornings and grew to include baked goods such as rusks and cookies. Not long after that Made by Mosaic took over an existing leatherwork which meant they could now also add added stylish handmade leather goods to their product range.
The premises they used had three small rooms – one for the entire leatherworks which consisted of a cutter with a big cutting table and about five seamstresses working on ancient sewing machines, the second room was their store and office, and the third was the kitchen area used for all the baking. Now, they have a factory in Potchefstroom with great industrial sewing machines, and plenty of room for their cutters, pasters, a shop, and office.
Made by Mosaic products are manufactured to the highest standards, and as a result, have been awarded membership to the Proudly South African label. Their products have a South African twist and are classy, trendy, and classic. Furthermore, they are designed for all ages, tastes, and cultures. They have also diversified into repurposing PVC banners to provide more cost-effective product choices to customers out there looking for alternatives to leather but still wanting to support the story behind the business.
In the future, Made by Mosaic envisions a business where they can offer willing young people and unemployed members of their community a place to learn to bake, sell, exhibit, manage, sew, cut, make patterns, manufacture beautiful products, do administration, and learn computer skills to enable them to start their businesses and pay it forward to others who need an opportunity to learn and grow.
Furthermore, they want to export their beautiful products all over the world and get their story to as many countries as possible. The growth will ensure that more can be offered in terms of employment, entrepreneurship, learning and growth. They would love to see a Made By Mosaic at every Mosaic site they establish.
Made by Mosaic was chosen to receive a Top 10 Award as well as a National Business Excellence Award at the South African Small Business Awards 2023.