South Africa and Algeria join hands in economic growth

Afrikan Passion Designs is a Durban-based business which combines science and craft to make clothes, shoes and bags.

The business uses sustainable reagents and chromium-free leather dyes to create durable products while reducing pollution from the textile and leather industry.

Chromium-free leather dyes are dyes made without chromium, a chemical often used in tanning leather. Chromium is effective but can be toxic to people and the environment.

“With the help of science and craft, I noticed that there is a need to reduce the pollution that is caused by the textile industry. Afrikan Passion Designs merges science and craft by using sustainable reagents to create durable and long lasting products...” said co-founder Nombuso Khanyile.

She adds that helping small businesses scale production is key to creating jobs and boosting South Africa’s economy.

The business was also one of 30 South African businesses supported by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) to showcase at the fourth Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in Algiers, Algeria, from 4–10 September 2025. 

“This is a great platform to learn on how to improve our own products and to source investments for advanced machinery in order to expand our business and create more employment,” she said. Khanyile, who holds an Honours Degree in Biochemistry, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Microbiology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said the two qualifications assisted her to merge science and art. 

She explains that the main goal of their company, which they started as street vendors in Durban in 2017, was to build a brand that focuses on sustainability and addresses climate change. 

 Afrikan Passion Designs currently markets and sells their accessories through a retail store in Umlazi, local exhibitions, outdoor markets and online. 

Meanwhile, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau met with Algerian Minister of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion, Kamal Rezig during the fair. 

The meeting was to advance implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding on Economic Cooperation, aiming to establish a Joint Trade and Investment Committee to facilitate ongoing trade and investment.

“We want to emphasise the importance of engaging in mutually beneficial trade opportunities and possible component manufacturing partnerships,” adds Tau.

“The MoU serves as the umbrella instrument from which all other bilateral economic agreements on trade and investment-related matters draw their specific individual mandates,” concluded Minister Tau.

This information was supplied by the dtic.

For more information about Afrikan Passion Designs call 073 130 4016 or visit afrikanpassiondesi.wixsite.com/website 
The dtic can be reached at www.thedtic.gov.za

Did you know?

Algeria and South Africa are long-standing member of the African Union (AU), a continental body of 55 African countries that promotes cooperation across the continent. The AU recently became a permanent member of the Group of Twenty (G20), a global forum of the world’s largest economies that works to address major international economic issues. The G20 will be hosted in South Africa for the first time in November.