ESONILE

Issue 01  ·  November 2026

ESONILE

African stories. Global perspective.

Spools of thread on an industrial winding frame
Cover story · Thread

The Golden Fleece Leaves Home

South Africa grows more than half of the world’s mohair. Almost none of the world knows it — and most of the money is made somewhere else.

Read the story Editor’s letter: We start with the fibre

The Magazine

Issue 01 · Seven sections

ThreadFashion, designers, and the craft behind them

See all Thread →
Model in a voluminous orange tiered gown walking a fashion week runway

Mohair for a Highveld Summer

Mohair has a winter reputation it doesn’t deserve. Here’s how to wear it when it’s 30°C in Pretoria.

Spools of natural mohair thread on an industrial winding frame

The Golden Fleece Leaves Home

South Africa grows more than half of the world’s mohair. Almost none of the world knows it — and most of the money is made somewhere else.

Skin & RitualBeauty, grooming, and the traditions that shape them

See all Skin & Ritual →
Woman in a red tulle gown with gold beaded necklaces and a gold and silver headwrap

The Goat in Your Jar

The angora gives us fleece. Its dairy cousins give us something the African beauty shelf has quietly relied on for generations.

SoilAgriculture, the source of everything we wear, eat and make

See all Soil →
Cone of natural undyed mohair yarn on a wooden surface

A Karoo Year, in Shearing Seasons

Everything ESONILE covers starts in the ground. For mohair, the ground is the Karoo.

From the soil, to the thread, to the space you live in.

SpaceDesign, architecture, and interiors

See all Space →
Calm interior with a dark wood fireplace wall and glass pendant lights

The Slow Interior

Mohair has lived in homes for longer than in wardrobes. Fewer things, made of better material, kept longer.

The CultureMusic, art, film, and ideas shaping the continent now

See all The Culture →
Rows of woven fabrics and blankets hanging on a rail

Wrapped in Belonging

In Southern Africa, the blanket is never just a blanket.

The Business of ItFounders, money, and how African creative brands grow

See all The Business of It →
Woman standing among stacked sacks of wool fleece in a warehouse

Where the Rand Goes

The first three stages of the mohair chain are proudly South African. The last two — where the biggest margins sit — mostly are not.

LivingTravel, food, and the way we live now

See all Living →
Handmade clay mug on an outdoor pottery table

A Karoo Weekend, Done Properly

Graaff-Reinet is the gateway: Cape Dutch gables, the Valley of Desolation at sunset, and mohair country all around.

Community

Gather, make, grow

ESONILE Events

The Table

Long lunches and intimate dinners hosted by ESONILE. Seasonal food, beautiful tables, and conversations with the designers, makers and thinkers we write about.

Next event · Saturday 28 November 2026

Friendsgiving: The Business Edition

Close the year with entrepreneurs, makers and creatives. A long lunch, founders sharing their biggest lesson of 2026, a makers’ table, and gift bags. 20 seats. Venue revealed to ticket holders.

Get tickets · R 550

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The Edit

Every Friday: the designers, ideas and places worth knowing in Africa this week. Plus first entry to our competitions and giveaways.

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A question about a designer, a story idea, or a collaboration? Write to us. The best questions get answered in The Edit.