“We are still very much a developing fledgling company,” states Chalkley, “but I have the utmost faith in the quality and style of my products.” While that quality descends from the heavy lifting done by the firehose manufacturers, Chalkley has considerably more freedom when it comes to style. Most of their products combine the natural look, feel and colorful stitching of the firehoses with additional fabrics that often reflect the designers’ lifestyle in South Africa. The integrated rubberized hose linings come into play as well, making the covers for your precious electronic devices waterproof, fire-resistant and able to absorb impacts MUCH better than ordinary fabrics.
African Flair U Can Wear
Says Chalkley, “I’m also trying to show people that there is truly an unexplored world of creativity to be found in what the modern world calls its waste.” As all of True Knysna’s upcycled firehose products are handmade in Knysna by local craftspeople, that creativity – “African Flair”, as Chalkley calls it – is prominently on display from the smallest pouch to the largest satchel. You can view True Knysna’s full range of upcycled firehose products at the company website and/or at their Pinterest page.

