FABRIC: NAMIBIAN WILD SILK
Region: Namibia
Fabric Name:
Wild Silk
Origin:
Gonometa postica
Who made our fabric:
Namibian Wild Silk, sourced from Norton & Hodges
Natural history and ecology:
No pupa are killed in the harvesting of silk cocoons from the Kalahari silk moth, supporting the full lifecycle and propagation of the species.
What makes this so special: When the cocoons fall to the ground, livestock and wild animals can eat them, causing severe digestive problems and death. Instead of choosing to use insecticides to kill the moths, farmers have been able to gather the cocoons to sell to the spinners and weavers.
Beneficial cloth from moth to livestock to farmer to weaver…
This cottage industry has had many ups and downs but continues to strive to achieve a unique eco-beneficial fabric.
Image courtesy of Mia Enslin, Namibian Wild Silk
“We design pieces to make you feel more beautiful and confident, so you can live your boldest life!”
— Suzette Bussey/ Namibian Wild Silk
Suzette Bussey
Meet Suzette Bussey, founder of Norton and Hodges based in Charleston specializes in luxury accessories. She is always focused on business development, marketing, and business processes. The inspiration for the creation of sustainable luxury accessories began when she was in Namibia celebrating her honeymoon. She was inspired to create a line of one-of-a-kind accessories that capture the style of the South and the majesty of Africa. From handbags, totes, hats, footwear, and jewelry to her new line of fur collars and torques, each piece in the Norton and Hodges collection is designed to inspire and empower clients to feel beautiful. Most recently her 2022 spring collection was featured in Paris Design Week. Suzette ensures every one of her materials is 100% traceable to the source and has as little environmental impact as possible. Spending part of her year based in Namibia and South Africa, she has built relationships with makers who are preserving traditional techniques and processes.
In one of her interviews, she shared, “I see how I can make a difference. You can bury these products in the ground, and they are not going to release any microplastics. I know that there are consequences to what I put out there. If you watch nature, everything has a purpose and an effect on everything else, so it’s my responsibility to understand the life cycle of my products. Using natural leathers and making sure the tanneries aren’t poisoning the waters is really important. I know that if someone threw out my purse it would eventually turn back into natural materials.”