What started as sheer determination to create a comfortable traditional imbadada Zulu sandal for her non-Zulu husband turned into a sandal brand aimed at uplifting local craftsmen, recycling and reclaiming in the name of sustainability and celebrating South Africa’s rainbow heritage.
Sisi Nxumalo is the founder of said brand, ‘SoulShooz’, which launched in 2020. I sat down with her to chat a bit about how she found her beginnings in shoemaking, and why she has such a passion for sustainability and culture.
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“One thing you must know about me is that I am an entrepreneur by nature! Once something has sparked my interest, or I see room for opportunity, I’m already mulling over how to make it my hustle. This is why, in 2019, Imbadada sandals
became more than just a part of my cultural tradition,” she begins.
“The story begins with my husband, who is non-Zulu, and our mission to find him imbadada sandals for a traditional wedding. I was excited to introduce him to the sandal that had been so culturally imbued. I went on about how amazing
they really were; made by traditional Zulu craftsmen from upcycled tyres, so they are eco-friendly and sourced ethically.
“You can imagine my surprise when my husband flat-out refused to wear them! ‘Eco-friendly is one thing, comfortability and style is another…’
“Those words echoed through my mind so much that I actually had to do something about it. These sandals had always been synonymous with durability in the Zulu community but never with comfort or style, really. So I approached a traditional craftsman to work on a more comfortable, aesthetic version of the shoes.”
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“This carried on for a further two years. I never expected it to take so long, or for the process to become so fleshed out, but my brain would just not quit until I could prove my husband wrong!
“The craftsman and I must have worked on about 10 prototypes within a two-year span. After we finally had a shoe that I was happy with, that my husband also found satisfactory, I had already come so far, it would be silly of me not to take the opportunity to build on this hustle, while also helping out the local craftsmen with more work,” she shares of her brand’s build-up.
“As South Africans, our history is so deeply enriched in culture. I wanted what started as a pair of traditional Zulu
sandals to grow and expand beyond just my own culture, so I came up with the idea to design sandals inspired by
different South African traditions.
“First came our Ntofo sandal, inspired by the Zulu culture, and then came Molo, inspired by the Xhosa. Then we launched our Ndebele-inspired sandals, the third addition to our Kulture collection. Along with those, I have also developed a number of stylish sandals that have no cultural leanings – just a simple, stylish sandal made from upcycled car tyres and reclaimed foam, with hand-printed straps.”
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Sisi Nxumalo goes on to say:
“My customers have one common interest, and that’s comfortable, upcycled sandals that tread lightly on our planet. Now, we work with a small factory of craftsmen who were really struggling before going forward with our production. It feels good to know we’re able to feed into a community of people who need the extra work.”
Of the future, she adds: “while I am so chuffed with how we have grown organically over the past year, I still have some exciting goals in the pipeline and hope to make an even bigger difference in the lives of people in underprivileged communities. We are more than just a sandal, we are a movement.”
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Feature Image: Instagram / @SoulShooz
