HOEDSPRUIT – Hoedspruit-based wood turner Deon Breytenbach has been named the overall winner of the 2025 CrushGrind Annual Global Craft Awards, placing the town on the international design map.

The awards are hosted by CrushGrind, the world-renowned Danish design company best known for inventing the ceramic grinding mechanism in 1994.

The awards celebrate creativity and ingenuity, challenging wood turners from around the world to create a functional salt or pepper mill using original CrushGrind ceramic mechanisms.

Breytenbach’s win follows an already impressive achievement of being selected as one of the top five finalists, chosen from a competitive field of more than 20 artisans representing 11 countries.

“Being selected as one of the final five wood turners in such a highly competitive international field was already a significant honour,” Breytenbach, of Bushveld Turnery, said. “The recognition alone, among such esteemed company, was deeply rewarding.”

The moment he learned he had won the overall title, however, was something else entirely.

“Learning that I had actually won the competition was truly incredible,” he said. “This achievement was made all the more meaningful by the overwhelming support I received from the public, the Hoedspruit community, clients, followers, friends, and family.”

Public voting played a decisive role in the outcome, with Breytenbach’s entry receiving 272 of the 587 total votes cast among the five finalists.

As part of his prize, CrushGrind awarded Breytenbach a collection of their new ceramic grinding mechanisms, valued at about R9 500.

“I am genuinely excited to transform these mechanisms into mills that will bring a touch of Hoedspruit’s bush magic to dining tables and families for generations to come,” he said.

CrushGrind described Breytenbach’s work as “a powerful material story, with exceptional uniqueness, working with rare African Blackwood and turning patience and restraint into a striking statement”, CrushGrind stated.