Capulana
A must in Mozambique. It's a colorful traditional (and still fashionable today) wax fabric that wraps around the buttocks of every Mozambican woman. The market stalls are full of them! Don't hesitate to bring back a few meters of your favorite patterns. Another idea: have your shirt, pants, T-shirt or whatever else you want tailored by the market's tailors. This usually takes between one and two days. From small children's shirts to kimonos, handbags or a simple key ring, anything is possible from fabric scraps. In Mozambique, nothing is lost, everything is created. In Ibo, don't miss a visit to the Saakata sewing workshop and boutique. In Vilankulo, ask Casa Babi to put you in touch with Helder. Finally, in Inhambane, clothing designer Maria Luisa has her own small workshop in the city center. Don't hesitate to give her a call: +258 846 318 250.
Natural cosmetics
Available for resale in numerous small boutiques and lodges across the country, natural cosmetics are a must: moisturizing oils, salt or sugar scrubs, lip balms, solid soaps and perfumes, body butters. The ideal way to take responsibility for your toiletries and pamper yourself at the same time. "We believe in Mozambique's potential to become a leader in the natural products industry. And we're committed to ensuring that women, the true custodians of these resources, really benefit," says Bóm, one of the leaders based in the southern province of Inhambane. Most cosmetics brands work with rural communities to bring them sustainable benefits, and constantly promote environmental conservation. Yakoko and Mbeu soaps, on the other hand, describe themselves as an "African, artistic and social" project. Yakoko is a 100% vegetable soap. The handmade recipe is very simple: coconut oil, lemongrass and eucalyptus essential oils, all with the aim of reducing the impact on the environment and on our own bodies. We buy local, healthy, 100% natural from content to packaging. For our skin and for the planet!
Art and crafts
In Mozambique, arts and crafts are everywhere. Woodworking creates sculptures, masks and furniture: carved animals, African masks, jewelry, wooden pipes, colorful canvases, magnets and other gadgets. Here, there's no hesitation in haggling. When it comes to painting, you'll find colorful canvases in pretty boutiques like Dhow, in craft markets like Feima and Machilla Magic, and in galleries like Dathonga, 16 Neto and DEAL. You'll have to go upstairs at DEAL to discover its galleries. Three artists are at work here: sisters Nelly and Nelsa Guambe, and German-born designer Ab Gosterwaal, all three founders of this eclectic space. All the pieces, as beautiful and original as they are, are created from recycled materials. Even if it's a bigger souvenir budget, more complicated to fit into a suitcase, life doesn't exclude the coups de coeur and even less visits for pleasure! Le 16 Neto is a coworking space. On the first floor, overlooking a pretty terrace, there's a workshop-boutique. Here you'll find items by Loja Social and other local designers: lots of colorful accessories, wax cushions in all sizes, yoga mat bags, storage baskets, hammocks, bags and pouches galore. Wildly creative and beautifully finished. Finally, in the heart of Tofo, the Dathonga Gallery is a somewhat hybrid gallery, which doubles as a meeting place, café-restaurant and unique exhibition space. Concerts are held here every Sunday. In the boutique, you'll find a fine selection of works by local artists, from painting to sculpture, fashion to cosmetics, small trinkets to exceptional objets d'art. A place not to be missed.
Fashion and creation
Lovely Bombers jackets, elegant skirts, flowing pants or dungarees all in wax, or simple T-shirts with a touch of color on the pocket, there are brands like Loja Social that are revolutionizing modern, traditional and ethical fashion in Mozambique. When you buy here, you support a social and professional reintegration project for ex-prisoners. Theempowerment and self-employment of women and girls, through cutting, sewing and handicrafts, are among the brand's main challenges. And many more, enjoy your shopping!
Coffee
In Mozambique, we drink coffee from Gorongosa, or Ibo, further north, and it's delicious. So whether it's for yourself, to rediscover the sweetness of your mornings on the savannah or to offer a little taste of your vacation to your loved ones, and above all, to support the local population, if you're lucky enough to go as far as Ibo or Gorongosa, and even more so, to visit the mountains and coffee plantations, don't miss out. A good cup of coffee is always a pleasure.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is a classic, thanks to its pleasant, sunny smell and its many natural benefits. We had a soft spot for Boa gente, a coconut oil factory in the Inhambane region. Its only main product is virgin coconut oil, cold-pressed in the small Machavenga factory we visited. It's made from the freshest coconuts, purchased twice a week at the fairest price from around a hundred small farmers within a 10 km radius. They are processed within five days of picking. No chemicals, additives or preservatives. For body, face and hair, nothing beats coconut oil!
Marula Oil
Marula oil is the magic oil. Often likened to argan oil for its properties, it doesn't stick at all. It combats stretch marks and acne, and contains over sixty antioxidants. Harvested in the Gaza region by three hundred women, it is a real economic lever for no less than eleven bush communities.
