By upcycling firehoses, Chalkley retains the material’s innate strength, durability and light weight instead of trying to break it down for recycling. His products – sold under the banner of True Knysna Indigenous Creations express the characteristics of modern firehoses in ways the original manufacturer could hardly imagine: bags & satchels, tablet & phone sleeves, and a wide range of accessories including passport holders, beach pouches and key rings.
Eased Of Eden
The company name “True Knysna” evokes Chalkley’s pride in his home city. He’s one of just over 50,000 people who live in this picturesque town located in the Eden district of South Africa’s Western Cape Province.
Beat The Heat
Chalkley also had an up-close-and-personal look at what firehoses – and fires – can do when the infamous Cape Storm of 2017 swept through Knysna. Although 985 firefighters (the largest deployment of firefighters in South Africa to date) fought the fires between June 6th and June 10th, seven people lost their lives and approximately 10,000 were left homeless.
