SA township woman's rooibos tea bag purses all the rage in Paris

Gracious Dube Handbag Designer at Original T-Bag Designs chats to Pippa Hudson about her purses.

Gracious Dube Handbag Designer at Original T-Bag Designs chats to Pippa Hudson about her purses.

33-year-old Gracious Dube from Hout Bay has always had an eye for fashion, but never did she think her handmade purses from Rooibos tea bags would one day be sold as a hot fashion accessory in Paris – the fashion capital of the world.

Growing up in Harare, a career as an artist wasn’t encouraged by her parents, but when she moved to South Africa and got involved with Original T-Bag Designs in 2006, her creativity took flight.

She worked for a company that recycled teabags.

I realised the rooibos teabags were stronger than the other teabags.

Gracious Dube, Handbag Designer at Original T-Bag Designs

I knew I wanted to create a bag.

Gracious Dube, Handbag Designer at Original T-Bag Designs

She explains how she makes the handbags by emptying, ironing and glueing them.

A French fashion designer spotted the items at the V&A Waterfront and offered to work with her.

Take a listen to her story:

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