28 Nov 2018

Thirty-one-year old Mr Teko Villander has ventured into a business of recycling used bottles to make them drinking glasses in different shapes and sizes.

Speaking in an interview, he said from collected used bottles he makes different bottles, vases, lump sheds and bottle jewellery. He said he also makes crafts products such as frames, trays, earrings and horn lumps. 

Today, he is the mind behind Kalahari Craft and Design which he started on self-sponsorship and operates at Gaborone bus rank and at Gaborone West Shopping Centre.

“I use a modified glass cutter machine to cut bottles into different shapes and afterwards I use a belt sender machine to polish them. After polishing them I use water based sand paper to smoothen them into final products,”,he said. 

He said his passion for the business started with crafting in 2008 while studying at Lobatse Brigade doing carpentry and joinery course. 

He said he used to make different craft products and sell them in order to pay his school fees. Mr Villander said after finishing his studies at Tswelelopele Bridge Centre in 2011, he started the business as a hobby and would do some products on a part-time basis and sell them. 

He said he was inspired to continue with the business until he finally decided to make it a full-time job in 2015.

He, however, explained that upon starting the business on a full-time bases, it was not easy as he ran short of stock and machines but with determination he was able to pull through. Today he is able to handle the ups and downs of his business.

Furthermore, he revealed the importance of participating in recycling competitions which he said they have so far opened doors for him. “Last year April, I participated in Tops Spar Wine completion and luckily won a bench making trip to Cape Town where I had a chance to show off my products. It was such a breakthrough as my products got recognised,” he said.

He said his benchmarking exercise motivated him and he met different business people who gave him advise and shared ideas with him on ways of improving his products. He said after that he was keen to continue participating in other competition which may add value to his business.

“A month later I participated in the Rail Park DIY entrepreneurship exhibition which was based on making recycled products. I then won position one out of eight participants who entered the competition where I made horn lumps, drinking glasses and vases,’’ he said.  

He said he was able to gain clients from his previous competition because people who did not know about his products were now showing interest in them.  Mr Villander said he was currently working on a tender with Kalahari Brewery Limited to make a world glass map using recycled bottles. He said with that being a big tender he hoped to meet their requirements and win the tender.

He said with his business growing he intended to expand it by venturing into another practice of crashing glasses and then making different floor tiles. He said floor tiles made out of crashed glasses were beautiful and lasted longer if taken care off.

Although the business is doing well, he is faced with challenges such as unavailability of workshop space, and has since been forced to make his products at home and later transport them to his stall. 

He encouraged other youth to utilise their skills and talents by venturing into different businesses which could create income for them.ENDS