Kaross

What Kaross does

Kaross is a South African hand-embroidered home décor and African art company that designs, produces, and sells artisan-made textile products including cushion covers ($68-$109), placemats ($42-$52), large-format cloths ($467-$771), bags ($17-$59), zip pouches ($17), and table runners ($119). Each piece is 100% hand-embroidered with acrylic yarn on cotton fabric by a network of skilled South African artisans, with designs repeated across collections but interpreted individually by each embroiderer so that no two items are identical. Products are organized into themed collections featuring African flora and fauna motifs — Royal Zulu, Shangaan Love, Ode to the African Savannah, Happy Days, Mopani Moments, Bougainvillea, Fevertree, Ruby Sunset, Turaco, Valencia, Scatterling of Africa, Viva Africa, African Dawn, Namib Rust, and Kaross Tashas — and carry Kaross signature geometric borders, fade-resistant and machine-washable finishes. The company also operates a Foundation initiative and a Featured Embroiderer program that humanize the artisan story behind each product.

The business operates a dual-channel model: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via a Shopify storefront with multi-currency support across eight currencies and worldwide shipping (free on South African orders and free globally on orders over $350), alongside a wholesale distribution network through approved stockists with a dedicated catalogue. Marketing is driven primarily through content (Kaross Journal, Featured Embroiderers, Kaross News, Kaross Story, Foundation stories), email newsletter, and social channels (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube), with product reviews used as mid-funnel social proof. The company is privately held and founder-led by Irma van Rooyen, with no institutional investors, parent company, funding rounds, or M&A activity disclosed in the source data, and employs 11-50 people based in Kanye, Botswana, serving a South African base and global DTC customers.

Name

Kaross

Legal name

Kaross

Website

https://kaross.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kaross is a South African artisan brand that designs, hand-embroiders, and sells African-themed home décor — cushion covers, placemats, cloths, bags, zip pouches, and runners — to global consumers via Shopify DTC e-commerce and to retailers through a wholesale stockist network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Home Décor & Textiles

NAICS

Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers (459130), Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (45942)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Decorative Accessories Retail (Vases, Bowls, Sculptures, Figurines, Trays) (CRAIACAB)

Keywords

• Hand embroidered textiles
• African home décor
• Artisan cushion covers
• Embroidered home accessories
• Handcrafted textile goods

Headquarters

HQ city

Kanye

HQ country

Botswana

HQ region

Africa

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales (E-commerce): Direct-to-consumer sales of hand-embroidered home décor items through their Shopify e-commerce platform. Products include cushion covers, placemats, cloths, bags, and zip pouches. International shipping available worldwide.
2. Wholesale Distribution: B2B sales to wholesale stockists through their wholesale catalogue and stockist network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kaross designs, produces, and sells hand-embroidered home décor items and African art pieces, including cushion covers, placemats, cloths, bags, zip pouches, and runners. Each product is individually hand-embroidered by skilled South African artisans using acrylic yarn on cotton fabric, featuring African flora and fauna designs organized into themed collections. Sales are made direct-to-consumer through a Shopify e-commerce platform with worldwide shipping and to wholesale stockists.

Product overview

Kaross is a South African company specializing in hand-embroidered home décor items and African art pieces. The product portfolio consists of a unified craft-based offering centered on hand-embroidered textiles across multiple categories: cushion covers (standard and large 45x45cm sizes), placemats (padded and unpadded), large cloths (80x160cm for wall hanging or table décor), bags (Olivia Bag, Rejoice Bag), and zip pouches (small, medium, large sizes). Products are organized into themed collections including Royal Zulu, Shangaan Love, Ode to the African Savannah, Happy Days, Bougainvillea, Fevertree, Mopani Moments, Ruby Sunset, Scatterling of Africa, Valencia, Viva Africa, African Dawn, and the Signature Collection. All items feature African flora and fauna designs, are 100% hand-embroidered with acrylic yarn on cotton fabric, and are unique individual creations. The Featured Embroiderer Collection highlights pieces created by individual artisans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Bloom Collection: Hand-embroidered home décor collection featuring floral and nature-inspired designs.
• The Signature Collection
• The Kaross Tashas Collection

Products and services

• Hand-Embroidered Cushion Covers Hand-embroidered cushion covers featuring African wildlife and flora designs, available in standard (45x45cm) and large sizes. Each piece is unique, hand-crafted with acrylic yarn on cotton fabric, fade-resistant and machine-washable. Priced $68-$109 per piece (excluding inner cushion).
• Hand-Embroidered Placemats Hand-embroidered placemats featuring African wildlife motifs, available in padded ($52) and unpadded ($42) styles, individually crafted by artisans.
• Hand-Embroidered Cloths Large format hand-embroidered cloths (80x160cm) featuring African wildlife scenes under African skies, framed with signature geometric borders. Versatile for wall hanging or table décor. Priced $467-$771 depending on size and complexity.
• Hand-Embroidered Bags Hand-embroidered bags including the Olivia Bag ($35) and Rejoice Bag ($59), featuring envelope-style designs with African-inspired embroidery. Zip pouches available at $17.
• Hand-Embroidered Zip Pouches Hand-embroidered zip pouches in three sizes (Small, Medium, Large), featuring African flora and fauna designs. Each piece is unique with color variations. Fully lined with colorful plain fabric and zip closure. Priced at $17.
• Hand-Embroidered Runners Long format hand-embroidered runners featuring African savannah designs, suitable for table runners or decorative wall displays. Priced at $119.
• Kaross Signature Collection Premium hand-embroidered collection featuring distinctive geometric borders with African wildlife artwork. Each piece is individually interpreted by skilled embroiderers, combining the signature design language with unique color and stitch combinations.
• Featured Embroiderer Collection Special collection featuring hand-embroidered pieces created by featured artisans including Amakulani Nukeri, with stories highlighting the crafters and their communities to humanize the craft.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ten Thousand Villages: Fair trade retailer of handcrafted home décor, textiles, and gifts sourced from artisans in developing regions, with a mission-driven, ethically positioned retail model comparable to Kaross.
• Made Trade: Ethical online marketplace for handmade and sustainably produced home goods, fashion, and accessories—closely comparable to Kaross's artisan DTC and fair-trade positioning.
• Novica: Online marketplace for handmade home décor, textiles, and accessories produced by global artisans, with individual artisan profiles and storytelling analogous to Kaross's Featured Embroiderers program.
• St. Frank: Curates artisan-made textiles, decorative accessories, and home goods from around the world with strong cultural and artisan narratives, closely aligned with Kaross's hand-embroidered home décor positioning.
• The Citizenry: US-based DTC brand selling handcrafted home décor and textiles sourced from artisan partners globally, with narrative content around craft traditions and ethical production—directly comparable to Kaross's artisan storytelling model.
• Saro Lifestyle: E-commerce brand offering African-inspired home décor and textiles, sharing Kaross's regional focus on African artisan craft, design vocabulary, and ethically sourced production.

Emerging players

• April Cornell: Designs and sells artisan-inspired textiles and home décor with distinctive prints and patterns, sharing Kaross's pattern-rich home textile focus though with broader mass-market distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/kaross
• Facebookfacebook.com/KarossArt
• Pinterestpinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://kaross.co.za
• Xx.com/KarossArt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kaross