About The Ninevites

The Ninevites is a multidisciplinary design studio and creative agency founded by South African designer Nkuli Mlangeni‑Berg in 2012. What began as a textile studio creating handcrafted rugs has grown into a dynamic platform that works across product design, cultural consultancy, education, and community-based collaborations.

Our mission is twofold:
→ To preserve and share cultural heritage through design
→ To create economic and creative opportunities for artists, artisans, and makers across the Global South

We partner with craftspeople, designers, institutions, and global brands to co-create projects that honour traditional knowledge, celebrate identity, and support sustainable creative economies.

From our Craft & Design Pop-Up Academy to international commissions and public programming, The Ninevites is a conduit for meaningful, cross-cultural exchange – one that prioritizes Global South voices while challenging dominant design narratives.

We work across both the public and private sectors and have collaborated with clients such as Penguin Random House UK, Rand Merchant Investment, Trenery, and the Nordic Culture Fund.