Turning boredom into business: one stitch at a time

By Nthabeleng Mqakelana

What began as a way to beat boredom in the back of the classroom has grown into a thriving side hustle for Mandela University student Lebo Moremi. Moremi learned to crochet with her friends back in high school, and she enjoyed it so much that the habit stuck. 

Today, Moremi is the founder and owner of Lebo’s Crochet, a small business specialising in handmade crocheted clothing and accessories. She makes a range of products, from knitted hats, tops, dresses, shirts, to decor. Ruffle hats, beanies, and side bags are among her most popular products. The full-time third-year LLB student at Nelson Mandela University says that balancing knitting and her academic endeavours comes down to discipline and taking life one stitch at a time. 

“I try to balance things so I don’t focus too much on one thing and neglect the other,” she says. Communication has been vital to the success of her business and to building trust with her customer base.

Her business officially launched in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns. With boredom, isolation, and emotional stress taking their toll, she turned to crocheting. 

“Nervous as I was, I wanted to make sure I got everything right,” she says, reflecting on getting her first order. This would give her the confidence she needed to turn one order into a serious side-hustle.

From Crochet to Cash
While her business has grown well past the hobby phase, Moremi knows there is still work to do to turn it into a serious business endeavour. She shares that her passion has become the fuel that keeps the business going,  even when things get hard.

“I don’t measure the growth in yearly income at the moment, because I don’t take on clients consistently as I try to strike a balance between academics and crocheting at the same time. Crocheting for me is something that I do purely for the love and passion I have for it,” she said.

She usually takes three to four orders a month, which she tries to limit to avoid being overwhelmed. The orders range from R50, which is the price of her scrunchies, to R280-R460, which her bikini sets go for. R250 can get one a ruffle or bucket hat too.

As is the case with running any business, things don’t always go according to plan. One challenge many small business owners face is unreliable customers. Lebo managed to sidestep this in time with a smart strategy: requiring a 50% deposit upfront on all orders.

“No one wants to lose that kind of money,” says the savvy entrepreneur, and because of that, she hasn’t had to run around after customers.

Koketso Ralehike, one of Lebo’s regulars, has had little to complain about: “Her items are always sealed and delivered on time, just like we agreed.” She first came across Lebo’s work on her Instagram, and it was love at first sight. “I was mesmerised by her craft, I decided to contact her and placed my order. The first item I ordered was a ruffle hat, and from then on, I just kept coming back when I needed something,” says the happy customer Koketso.

For Moremi, crocheting has become more than a business. “Whenever I feel overwhelmed in my personal life, I grab my crochet hook and lace yarn and start crafting something to cheer myself up,” she shares. “Even when I’m watching TV, I want to be doing something with my hands.”

Fashion demands creativity. Customers often bring in new designs, some of which Lebo has never tried before, a challenge she welcomes with open arms (and crochet hooks). 

Nonhlanhla Ndlovu, founder of Crochet Couture, is one of Lebo’s biggest influences. Like Lebo, Ndlovu began her journey during COVID-19. She was doing bikini tops for her friends, and before she knew it, the hobby had transformed into a business. 

“I really admire her work for the fact that we have similar stories; I get motivated knowing that it is possible,” says Moremi.

She works tirelessly to grow her online store and strengthen her brand. Her circle of friends and family, as well as social media, are vital to marketing the business, as they help with word-of-mouth marketing and spreading her business’ digital footprint. Lebo’s Crochet has Facebook and TikTok accounts where Lebo shares updates about the latest item drops and engages with her customers.

Skills and school

In a country with an alarmingly high youth unemployment rate (50.3% in the first quarter of 2025), Moremi’s story is proof that self-taught skills can be a lifeline. The 15-24 age group is especially challenged with entering the workforce, with a lack of real-world experience being a significant limiting factor.

Recent figures from industry research, such as the Trade and Industry Strategies 2024 study, suggest that about 140,000 people were employed in the clothing industry, and the textiles, leather and footwear industry employed about 46,000 people in Q4 2023. Although its share of the economy has declined over the decades, the sector remains a vital source of jobs and local production capacity, particularly in coastal hubs such as Cape Town and Durban, where textile and clothing factories continue to sustain communities. 

There is evidence that many consumers are willing to pay 1–10% more for locally produced goods, and 47% for products made from recycled or eco-friendly materials. This is good news for Lebo, and an indication of the awareness and preference for eco-friendly clothing rather than fast fashion. 

Students considering entering the world of fashion would do well to polish their skills at a South African university offering three-year Diplomas in Fashion Design, such as the Durban University of Technology or Cape Peninsula University of Technology or a BA Degree in  Clothing or Textile design from the University of Johannesburg. Nelson Mandela University offers a Bachelor of Visual Arts with specialisations in Fashion and Textile design. 

Fashion and Textile Department lecturer Tyrone James supports the push for students to acquire additional skills beyond their degrees.

“[At Nelson Mandela University] …we provide fundamental training to empower students for their future endeavours. The courses we offer entail facilitation of the design process through specific projects. We cover a broad spectrum of textile manipulations and fabrication techniques, and encourage students to explore,” said James. 

The scope and diversity of the fashion industry are so vast that no course can cover and prepare students for every aspect of it. James thus emphasises that students may need to further upskill beyond the offering of the course, based on their interests.

Moremi hopes to see her crochet business turn into something bigger in the future. 

“I do see its potential, and genuinely believe it can grow into a registered business that generates consistent income every month and makes exceptional returns annually, while keeping the passion and creativity that started it all.”

Moremi is currently working on a personal project to crochet handmade blankets for a children’s home in her hometown. “I believe that through these small acts of kindness, we can make the world a better place.”