Vhembe entrepreneur creates modern traditional tekkies
Lufuno Netshithuthuni turns tradition into trend with Funo Designs, crafting modern tekkies that celebrate cultural heritage.
LIMPOPO – Lufuno Netshithuthuni, a nature conservation graduate from Unisa, is the creative force behind Funo Designs – a label offering modern traditional tekkies for women of every cultural background.
Hailing from Tshivhulani village near Thohoyandou in Vhembe, Netshithuthuni turned her passion into a business after completing an internship at Roodeplaat Nature Reserve in Pretoria.
The inspiration for Funo Designs struck in 2019 when she struggled to find traditional footwear for a family event.
Unhappy with existing options, she bought two plain tekkies and crafted her own embellished pair for herself and her sister.
She shared a photo on her WhatsApp story, and the enthusiastic response convinced her there was a market gap to fill.
Operating from a modest garage with three staff members, Funo Designs currently manufactures up to two pairs of uniquely designed sneakers per day.
The brand’s rapid growth reflects a wider trend: middle-class women across rural and urban areas are embracing cultural fashion.
Each design fuses traditional patterns with modern sneaker silhouettes, supporting local artisans and celebrating heritage.
Netshithuthuni’s vision includes opening additional branches throughout Limpopo and expanding into other provinces.
She plans to boost production capacity, leverage online marketing, and embrace Industry 4.0 technologies to meet her rising demand.
She also plans to build a solid customer base, increase her company assets, and enhance service offerings.
