Our
Story
The
origin

story
In 2021, we wanted to create a t-shirt and a craft beer, with a label to show that these products were designed and made in the Western Cape.

We needed something similar to the Australian Made or Made in Britain logo - a mark of origin - but for the Western Cape. We looked around but could not find anything - so we set out to design something new.
 

 After a few weeks and a number of iterations later we settled on a line art concept with three elements…

 
 
Nature
and
Tourism
The Western Cape is abundant with natural beauty and fertile lands, represented by
Table Mountain
Industry
and
Economy
The Western Cape is a world class destination for business, represented by the
Cape Town
Trade
and
Resources
The Western Cape has a long history of maritime trade, represented by
Two Oceans
 
 

After friends and family liked our design we decided to make the Cape Made Mark™ available to all Western Cape based businesses as a collective trademark.

 
Team

Matthew Britz
Private pilot, ex-management consultant at Graff Fruit and Grande Roche hotel

B.Comm (Hons.)
Stellenbosch University

LinkedIn
Our Core
Values
 
1.
Vote
with your wallet
We think local and buy local: LLAP - 'Live Local and Prosper'
2.
Proudly
Western Cape
We are optimistic about the future of our cities, towns and province.
3.
Do
more
with
less
We strive to reduce waste, packaging and transport. Clean and green.
4.
Delight
customers
We aim to make them smile. Deliver quality and create value.
5.
Tell a
good story
We know the power of word of mouth and a good story.
6.
Colourful
like the Cape
We are authentic and creative. Create fun and a little weirdness.
7.
Celebrate
our makers and growers
We are innovative, resilient and resourceful. Celebrate the businesses that build a prosperous economy.
8.
Build trust with
integrity
We believe strong business ethics makes doing business easier. Do more business with the businesses in your community.
9.
Support
small business
We value a rich and diverse ecosystem of small and medium size service providers.
10.
Think
long term
We aim to leave a legacy. Economic growth drives prosperity.
 
 

Why we created the Cape Made Mark™

We see boundless potential in the Western Cape and we’d like to see a prosperous future for the people who live here. Economic growth is key to unlocking this potential.

We should all feel proud to be living in the Western Cape. The Western Cape is just different to the rest of South Africa. We have a unique history and culture, a strong focus on innovation, a flourishing creative industry, an exceptional art and design community, a strong knowledge economy and world famous tourism attractions.

We’d like to help grow the Western Cape economy and support our local small business community. We’d like to encourage customers to vote with your wallets and keep money moving through our local economy!

 
 
The Wider Impact of
Buy-local
Initiatives

International buy-local initiatives like Australian Made or Made in Britain have proven to be very successful. Around 99% Australians now recognise their buy-local initiative. Buying local benefits you, your community and the environment. Here are a few reasons why:

 
Prosperity
By supporting local businesses, customers stimulate their local economy, resulting in faster
business growth
, more
jobs
and better
quality of life
for employees and our communities.

Sustainability
Locally made products travel shorter distances to get to market, burning
less fossil fuels
, using
less packaging
and generating
less waste.


Health
Locally grown food products spend less time in transit and in cold storage, resulting in
fresher
,
healthier
produce, with
better taste
and
higher nutrition
levels.

About

Cape
Made
™

Cape Made™ was started by a group of entrepreneurs based in Cape Town and the Cape Winelands.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

— Margaret Mead

Cape Made™ is a non-profit membership organisation based in the Western Cape. We help local businesses grow by telling their stories and connecting them to a community of loyal customers.

What we are not: we are not a government initiative or a company and we are not affiliated to any political party, government entity or other buy-local initiative.

How to Start Using the Cape Made Mark™

Select a membership category and follow the signup process to become a member. Download the mark. Read our brand guidelines. Add the Cape Made Mark™ to your website footer. Start using the mark in your design projects, on products and on social media.

How You Can Help - as a Customer living in the Western Cape

Please look out for the Cape Made Mark™ and support companies which are using it, buy local, spread the word and share our social media posts. If you have friends who are business owners in the Western Cape, please send them our website link.