The studio Mash.t

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Mash T’s mission centers around preserving the essence of traditional artisanal craftsmanship. This is achieved through melding technology and age-old crafts, to create a contemporary design aesthetic.

Our creative process thrives on close collaboration with local artisans who skillfully weave South African stories into our diverse range of products, ranging from lighting to furniture.

Leveraging the power of design as a medium, Mash.T draws upon our rich cultural heritage to inspire modern design. This approach also allows us to breathe new life into traditional designs, techniques, and objects, ensuring their relevance in today’s society so that they are not forgotten.

Over the years, Mash.T’s unique and contemporary design aesthetic has received coveted accolades such as “South African Designer of the Year, 2019” and “Most Beautiful Object in South Africa” for its award-winning, Tutu 2.0 Pendant Light.In a recent achievement, Mash.T has made history as the first South African designer-maker to secure a permanent spot for two of our works—the Tutu Light and Mjojo Cabinet—in the permanent collection of Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Museum of Decorative Arts) at the Louvre.

Continuing to expand our global footprint, the Hlabisa bench, a collaboration with Houtlander and master weaver Beauty Ngxongo, has also found a new home at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

We are excited for the opportunity to contribute towards making South African design a category brand.

Over the years, Mash.T’s unique and contemporary design aesthetic has received coveted accolades such as “South African Designer of the Year, 2019” and “Most Beautiful Object in South Africa” for its award-winning, Tutu 2.0 Pendant Light.

Mash.T has showcased globally at exhibitions such as Milan Design Week 2019, 100% Design UK and currently has products represented at the Bonne Esperance Gallery in Paris. A passion for collaboration and supporting the local design scene also led to the studio curating “Sacrosanct”, a collective showing of South African design at Milan Design Week, 2019.

Whether you’re just starting out or scaling to the next level, we’re here to support your growth every step of the way.

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FOUNDER & OWNER

Owner and founder of Mash.T Design Studio, Thabisa Mjo, is passionate about preserving traditional skills and helping other small businesses. Mjo stumbled into the industry by impulsively entering the Nando’s Hot Young Designer Talent Search competition in 2015. The challenge was to create a pendant light with a contemporary forward-thinking South African twist that could be used in any Nando’s restaurant globally.

Portrait of Thabisa Mjo, the award-winning designer behind Mash.T Design Studio, known for contemporary South African craftsmanship and the Tutu 2.0 Pendant Light.

To the designer’s delight, the Tutu 2.0 light was announced a winner, and has now been installed in restaurants across the world, from Cape Town to Malaysia, Washington and London. However, for Mjo, who had never designed anything before, the real prize was discovering that she had a gift she had never tapped into.

Mjo has subsequently designed full product ranges and won several awards, thus securing her name as one of the continent’s top design talents. Most recently, Mjo has become the first South African designer to have two of her works, the Tutu Light and Mjojo Cabinet, be installed as part of the permanent collection at Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Museum of Decorative Arts) in the Louvre.

The Hlabisa bench which was produced in collaboration with Houtlander and master weaver Beauty Ngxongo has also been acquired by the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

BEHIND THE SCENES

The quintessentially African aesthetic of Mash.T’s designs is a result of Mjo’s passion for working with artisans that have mastered traditional skills such as weaving and beading.

“For me, arts and crafts, and anything handmade, represent luxury, and my aim is to merge these traditional production methods with forward-thinking design.”

Collaboration & Our Enduring Mission

Our mission is to contribute towards making South African design a celebrated global category brand. To achieve this, we collaborate closely with exceptional craft-makers, including world-renowned master weaver, Beauty Ngxongo, the fine art beading studio Qaqambile Bead Studio, and multi-award-winning furniture brand, Houtlander. These partnerships ensure our work remains rooted in traditional skill while pushing contemporary boundaries.

The Founder's Philosophy

“I can’t just be designing for the sake of designing, or because it looks pretty online. Building a business that will change people’s lives in a meaningful way, and that will outlive me – that is my passion.”

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