1. My recent visit to Ngwenya Glass,
a glass blowing factory in Swaziland gave
me a crash course in the art of glass making
and has since changed the way I look at
any glassware. By Denise Mhlanga
FEATURE
S
et in the foothills of an ancient iron ore mine dating back 43 000
years is a remote village called Ngwenya (SiSwati word for
crocodile). It is here that a small group of Swati craftsmen and
women with age old artistry breathe life into unique handmade
products made from 100 percent recycled glass.
Ngwenya Glass, then known as Swazi Glass Craft, was started by
a Swedish Aid project in 1979 training Swazi locals in the art of
glassblowing. The factory closed in 1985 and was reopened in 1987
by Richard Alix and Chas Prettejohn.The new owners tracked down
some of the original staff from the factory including Sibusiso Mhlanga,
the master glassblower, and it was business as usual.
The factory produces a range of products including drinking glasses,
vases, jugs and ornamental African animals all handmade from 100
percent recycled glass. Ngwenya Glass reuses grey water and has
rainwater catchments for factory use. It has also started using purified
old engine oil to fuel their furnaces.
Fast forward to 2010, award-winning South African chef Reuben
Riffel and Source collaborated with Ngwenya Glass and launched the
Reuben & Ngwenya Glassware range available at selected Boardmans
stores countrywide.
Source is a company responsible for the majority of the export of
South African design products around the world.
Reuben & Ngwenya Glassware is an exquisite range of glassware
made from 100 percent recycled handmade mouth-blown glass
and endorsed by renowned chef Riffel. The reason why Ngwenya
Glass is so special is that only recycled glass is used, mainly old cold
drink bottles, and that each and every piece is totally handmade and
mouth blown.
Riffel was impressed by the Ngwenya Glass philosophy and
manufacturing and decided to see this first hand for himself. He
attended a workshop at the factory and was moved by the skill,
integrity, tradition and authenticity of the studio and he was inspired
to collaborate in order to develop this unique branded collection of
glassware. Once you experience the glass making process, you will
THE ARTOF
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2. FEATURE FEATURE
appreciate and understand why this is unique.The factory employs 70 people including
two of the original blowers and four of the other original staff.
Sibusiso Mhlanga and James Magagula lead the artisanal team while displaying
extraordinary skills especially since recycled glass is very challenging to work with. It can
take up to eight people to make a single wine glass.
Mhlanga who underwent advanced training in Sweden during the 70s has tutored new
apprentices in the art of glassblowing. He also has his own range of designer pieces.
He explains that once they have collected all the glass to be recycled, it is washed and
labelling is removed. The glass is then put in a furnace to melt at a temperature of
1 250 degrees Celsius.The furnace runs 24 hours and uses paraffin.The melted glass is
then taken out on a blow pipe and blown into a mould of whatever shape or product
is being made.
Depending on what is being made, the glass is blown into a shape of say a wine glass
which usually requires three people in the production process itself. In total, it takes
11 people to complete one wine glass and as much as 80 glasses can be made in a day.
Once the glass has been blown to shape and the artists are happy with their handiwork,
the finished product is allowed to cool down in a cooling oven set to 800 degrees Celsius
and this process can take up to eight hours of more depending on what is being made.
Mhlanga says the emphasis is always on quality and not so much on quantity produced
a day. Ngwenya Glass sells its products locally in Swaziland, South Africa and they are
commissioned to do pieces for clients in Europe and the USA.
The Reuben and Ngwenya range enhances the drinking experience and Riffel really
enjoys the unique shapes of the stemware and being able to see the food through the
transparency of the serving pieces.The range is not only fashionable, it is practical and
unique, and definitely a collector’s item.
For more information, visit www.boardmans.co.za
The reason why Ngwenya Glass is so special is that only
recycled glass is used, mainly old cold drink bottles, and
that each and every piece is totally handmade...
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