The tragedy of 9/11 and a personal near-miss helped Nadine Storyk Curtis and her husband realize the importance of living life to the fullest. Within months of that horrid day, they had packed up their life together and moved to Cape Town, South Africa for a break from the rat race. There Nadine fell in love with the gorgeous textiles created by women’s empowerment groups. Nadine decided she wanted to help support these worthwhile endeavors and Be Sweet was born.

The Beginning

Not only did Nadine become a bride just three weeks before 9/11, her father was supposed to be on the plane that crashed in a Pennsylvania field. The sobering near-miss made the newlyweds realize the time was now to pursue a long-held dream to live in South Africa, her husband’s homeland. Five months later, the graphic designer and her husband were living in Cape Town.

In Cape Town, Nadine soon became enamored of the mix of cultures in the area and was struck by the beautiful handiwork she discovered local women creating. Learning that more than 65% of all the world’s mohair comes from South Africa, Nadine was interested to find that as the women brushed the finished mohair scarves, tiny fluffy balls of brilliantly colored yarn would drop to the floor. Nadine was particularly impressed to see that by scooping up these balls, the women artisans were able to re-spin what would have been waste and create another product – "Knobby Ball" yarn, which was to become one of Be Sweet’s bestsellers. Today, Be Sweet’s yarns make up the lion’s share of Nadine’s business.

The Heart

Back in California, where she lives with her husband and son, Nadine now runs Be Sweet according to values and lessons learned from her stay in Cape Town. Her business goal is to bring to the marketplace gorgeous products that don’t compromise social and environmental integrity. And she has succeeded. Be Sweet's beautiful objects, sublime yarns and funky designs are enhanced by their responsible origins. Many are created by women in job creation programs Nadine found when in South Africa. These programs not only provide opportunities to local women, but create a sustainable tradition of crafts that can be carried on to the next generation. Indeed, Be Sweet now works with seven different job creation programs in South Africa.

We applaud Be Sweet for its socially responsible business and its earth-friendly offerings. The Company's accessories are made from eco-conscious materials such as mohair, bamboo and organic cotton and the Company's yummy yarns are hand-dyed with the highest quality, low-impact German dyes available and then hung to dry in the open air.

We are proud to carry some of Be Sweet's finest mohair scarves and shawls, knit by Xhosa women in the East Cape region. This knitting work allows these dedicated artisans to support large extended families while battling poverty in a part of the world where running water and electricity are scarce luxuries.

We also are privileged to carry one of Be Sweet's signature handbags, originated by hip South African designer Adri Schultz. These extraordinary eco-friendly bags are hand-hooked by Adri's Miele Women's Collective from vibrant, recycled t-shirts with minimal machinery, which helps create even more jobs.

The Highlights

Be Sweet’s yarns have garnered rave reviews in various magazines and have been featured in Vogue Knitting. The Company continues to grow and employ more and more South Africans as Nadine continues her travels to and work in Cape Town, increasingly adding to the quality of life for many struggling local families.

But Be Sweet’s involvement in the lives of Africans doesn’t stop there. The Company also supports a local school by donating a portion of Be Sweet’s sales. Be Sweet has made great progress toward its current goal to fund a modern media center by purchasing two computers for the school. As Nadine and Be Sweet demonstrate, "do good vis-a-vis the workers and the environment, and business success will follow." Congratulations Be Sweet!

Gifts with style and relevance from a socially responsible small business . . .