Isikhwama was started in 2004 to produce bags for Woolworths and to provide employment for some of the people who lost jobs when many of Cape Town's clothing factories closed their doors. Today, the company, which is 25% owned by two women who are also production supervisors, employs 80-85 people and produces 20 000 to 30 000 bags for the company every week.
As part of its enterprise development programme, the company assists Isikhwama's cash flow through procuring fabric, assisting with the purchase or upgrade of equipment through loans and offering preferential payment terms. For the company this is not a profit-generating initiative - the focus is on creating jobs and helping to establish a sound local South African business.
These bags are also helping Woolworths to raise awareness of some of its Good business journey initiatives. A bright blue and green bag currently in store promotes Woolworths Fishing for the Future, the sustainable seafood initiative along with SASSI (the WWF program for sustainable seafood) fish SMS line and it has recently been joined by a yellow and green bag devoted to Woolworths sustainable farming programme, Farming for the Future.
