Meet Zydia Botes | Founder of Something Good Studio & Co-founder of Romaria Knitwear

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zydia Botes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zydia, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I was working for a company at the time and was terribly unhappy. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit and wanted to create ‘something good’ – something that could give me the opportunity to change my lifestyle and to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

We have two businesses; Something Good Studio and Romaria Knitwear.

Something Good Studio is a collaborative textile design studio based in Johannesburg.
​We work with artists and designers who communicate positive messages via their work in creation of stand-out textile pieces for life in the form of blankets, throws, rugs and towels.

Romaria Knitwear is a fashion and lifestyle collective where luxury meets comfort. We don’t chase seasons or trends.
We design easy to wear knitwear pieces that connect to the next, intended to be complimentary and to treat you right throughout all seasons.

Both businesses have a golden thread – we create stand-out items that awaken a feeling of happiness when you use or wear it.

All items are slowly, meticulously and sustainably prepared on a small scale in South Africa consisting of remarkable stitch games. The raw cotton material used to knit our items are mainly sourced from local cotton farmers who are BCI accredited. Quality is at the heart of our values.

It certainly has not been easy to get where we are today but we’ve learnt a lot and we truly value partnerships. We’ve aligned with suppliers who share our values. We have been let down various times along the way but that is how we managed to sift through the bunch to get to the best. This has been the most challenging aspect in the growth phase of our businesses. We live in a fast-paced world where most suppliers are focused on quantity instead of quality.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh this is exciting! 🙂

We would start with our famous ginger tea at our sunny studios in Johannesburg where we can spend hours catching up overlooking our tranquil garden.

Then we would drive to Hartebeespoort Dam for a farm to table lunch at the magnificent venue named Kleine Rijke. The venue and furniture are both designed by local genius/furniture maker, David Krynauw, and the restaurant is run by his wife Jasmyn Krynauw. The location is magical overlooking the dam and the food is delicious. It feels like a piece of heaven.

Massages or facials at Africology is a must! Africology is a South African spa chain and skincare brand with a natural approach. Their products consist of natural home-grown ingredients only, it smells divine and really is life changing. The quality of their treatments are next-level, they live to nourish. Definitely one of my favourites.

Friday afternoon drinks at our local wine bar named Mr Pants is always a good idea. Dubbed the smallest wine bar in South Africa, it is tiny and vibey and well worth a visit – if you can get in. We usually start early. 😉

Fancy sunset dinners at either Marble, The Shortmaket Club or The Leonardo are all magical.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It takes a village to build a business from scratch! Within the four years of tackling this venture, I’ve been blessed with many people who come across my path at the right time to contribute and assist with advice and words of encouragement. We’ve managed to build a community of reliable people each with their own strengths that contribute to the businesses in their own special way. I am grateful to my business partner, Carla Pinto and our Account Manager, Louél Schnolzer – both are strong girls with a positive outlook on life and they are not scared to get their hands dirty, I love that. 🙂

I am a sucker for inspirational books and would recommend the following for any entrepreneur;
– Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
– 90 Rules for Entrepreneurs by Marnus Broodryk
– Good to Great by Jim Collins
– Manage Your Money Like a F*cking Grown-Up by Sam Beckbessinger

Website: https://www.somethinggoodstudio.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smtnggoodstudio/