Turning Brutality into Beauty

By: Kate Wilson Photos: Edward Selfe

Mulberry Mongoose create unique accessories handmade by craftswomen from the South Luangwa, Zambia. They use natural materials including guinea fowl feathers, seeds and hand carved wooden beads. Their design work aims to capture the grace and ruggedness of the unmatched African bush. Mulberry Mongoose is based in an area where unemployment and poaching are a reality, so it is fitting that every piece of jewellery sold helps support local families whilst conserving their unique environment. In South Luangwa poaching is a sad reality and causes the maiming and/or slow and painful death of iconic wildlife from elephant and giraffe to leopard and lion. Fortunately, in collaboration with the Zambian Wildlife Authority, Conservation South Luangwa (CSL) tirelessly conducts anti-snare patrols collecting in the snare wire before it harms animals.

Mulberry Mongoose turns this brutal snare wire into meaningful beads. Snare wire is often made of a steelzinc alloy and very hard to work with. Despite this the courageous ladies of Mulberry Mongoose have learned to coil and flatten it into one-of-a-kind pieces. These wire beads are then mixed with semiprecious stones, wooden beads and freshwater pearls to create the iconic Snare Wire Jewellery Collection.

A portion of proceeds from every sale is donated back to funding more essential anti-snare patrols. Between 2013-2016 alone they donated over $60,000. Celebrities including Hilary Clinton, Leo Di Caprio and Whoopi Goldberg have worn their snare jewellery.

The Mulberry Mongoose workshop is located on a well-trodden elephant path, close to safari lodges in the area. They are open to tourists, where you can meet the team of courageous ladies and learn how the accessories are made. You can also shop from the unique selection of jewellery as well as a selection of other beautiful hand crafted Zambian pieces.

A small company with big ambitions, they have worldwide stockists and have worked with established names including WWF and Tusk. Furthermore, their popular online shop sends jewellery orders far and wide across the globe.

Why the name Mulberry Mongoose? The name represents the two elements of the business vision. The banded mongoose work together in social groups to keep safe in the African bush. As a company, Mulberry Mongoose believes in looking out for the community and wildlife enabling them to grow stronger.

Mulberry is a British fruit and reminds Kate Wilson, the founder and designer, to aspire to grow a competitive business with on trend designs and customer service to rival any Western business.

Web: mulberrymongoose.com Email: kate@mulberrymongoose.com Tel: 0978051814 Facebook & Instagram: Mulberry Mongoose