Frustrated with the lack of alternatives to plastic in the kitchen, Julia Schaffer decided to take matters in her own hand and launch her own products.
Spaza dish covers are breathable covers for food that are reusable, machine washable and will adjust to cover different sizes and shapes of dishes.
We have limited power over the single use plastics found in mainstream grocery stores, but we have complete power over what we use in our homes, she explains.
“We have been brainwashed into believing that plastic keeps food fresh,” she says.
“As mother nature would have it, fresh is related to time and plastic can’t stop time by locking in freshness despite many successful advertising campaigns. A carrot is fresh when it is pulled from the ground, every day after that it become less fresh.
“Being breathable, dish covers eliminate condensation and through the process of evaporation, allow your food to cool quickly in the refrigerator.”
While Schaffer started by hand crafting all covers herself, today they are made by township women in troubled communities on the outskirts of cape Town, South Africa. Her unique arrangement with them allows these women to be at home to take care of and protect their families while still being able to earn an income.
The covers are all made from sustainably sourced cotton and are still hand printed by Schaffer.
The range is distributed in Australia and New Zealand exclusively through Buxton Hanley. “As curators of sustainable lifestyle products, we seek out suppliers who are actively involved in giving back either to their communities or the environment and were thrilled to find a brand that does both,” says Caryn Hanley, commercial director at Buxton Hanley.
"Through creating a range that reduces the amount of plastic in circulation and providing employment to women who would otherwise not have any alternative, Spaza is truly making the world a better place one dish cover at a time.”
The range also includes dry goods bags, bread bags and tea towels all made from sustainably sourced cotton.