Samil growing communities too
SAMIL Natural Fibres is a dynamic organisation with more than 50 years of experience in the South African mohair and textile industry.
Samil specialises in mohair-related products and has a fully integrated value chain, beginning with the farming of angora goats through to processing, which includes yarn spinning and dyeing, and culminating with trading in mohair items and mohair-rich yarns on the world markets.
The company has also created its own hand-knitting yarn brand, African Expressions, which is marketed nationally and internationally.
One of the main challenges in South Africa is unemployment, and the entrepreneurial Samil team’s overwhelming commitment to the community is to help provide employment, directly or indirectly.
“We believe firmly at Samil that we are able to help address the problem starting at origin, by introducing innovative methods of providing employment and growth in the Angora goat farming industry,” a company spokesman said.
In 2007, Samil embarked on a BBBEE initiative on 1350ha of farm land made available by the Ikwesi municipality for the training of emerging angora farmers.
Together with the Ikwezi municipality, the department of agriculture also made funds available for setting up sheds, purchasing of fencing material to erect fences and to provide stock waters in an effort to create a well-managed infrastructure on the Hardwood farm.
In addition to supplying the animals, as well as providing tuition in both farming and certain business skills, Samil’s future commitment to the project is to buy all the mohair produced by these emerging farmers at market-related prices.
After the farming students graduated, the Samil team decided to manufacture a range of socks to support emerging farmers.
About 250kg of premium kid mohair was spun together with an equal amount of South African Merino wool to produce a premium men’s dress sock. Ladies socks are also available.
These products have been sold in stores across South Africa since 2011.
A percentage of the sales revenue is put back into the empowerment initiative in order to nurture and sustain this important industry in the Eastern Cape.
Samil is currently involved in eight projects assisting 18 emerging farmers and their employees in the production of mohair.
In addition to this, Samil has formed partnerships with 10 commercial farmers, adding to their growth and subsequently to employment opportunities for communities in their areas.
Samil and its farming partners run more than 30 000 Angora goats, adding 100 tons of mohair and countless employment opportunities to the industry.
Samil has also seen the need to assist in building relationships between the citizens of the rural Karoo towns and their city neighbours and, to this end, sponsor mountain bike and running events in both Jansenville and Steytlerville.
All funds raised at these two fast-growing events go towards the funding of retirement homes, schools and other community centres in the towns.
Samil’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable production of mohair through assisting, supporting and empowering rural communities is unquestionable, and it welcomes any role players in the industry or other facets of business in the rural Karoo to join the company in keeping this unique area and society intact.