Matsidiso International

We use vibrant colours and textures, and meld them into our designs in a modern way. Our handcrafted shoes are designed in-house by me (Hi, I'm Jinae :) ) and run in partnership with my husband, Christiaan Heyns. Our shoes are produced by our heritage family run factory, with 20 years in the shoe manufacturing industry behind it, originally focusing on dance shoes and dance footwear. To this day, our factory still makes dance shoes for SA's local ballerinas. Each of our eleven shoe cobblers has an incredible history in the footwear industry (some working over 35 years in footwear). Our vision is that through our ethically made shoes, we will have the opportunity to help build the SA economy by offering team members pension plans, educational funds for their family members, and will offer ongoing learning and upskilling, to ensure that our team is more resilient to the sometimes unforeseen changes in a rocky economy. The Matsidiso bespoke handbag and accessories range are an extension of our story. Working with a trust of women in Cape Town and in collaboration with design house, UGLEE, each bag is carefully crafted using only the finest leathers and materials that are locally sourced or created in-house. Quality and original designs that divulge a rich history of Africa are the essences of each bag, nothing has been left out. Beyond this, Matsidiso will use their platform to build awareness around and raise money toward important socio-economic matters in South Africa. They are 'Shoes For The Liberated' on a mission to break the chains of the destructive mass production cycle, educate their local and global community around sustainability and to aid their team with the right skills and salaries so that they can live more empowered lives. Jinae and Christiaan Heyns of Matsidiso Shoes