Chill out and go out in Meelbroeke

There’s clobber and clothes, party dresses and festival garb. Then there are your old sweats for lounging around the house. Also the lekker pair of jeans you have lived in forever. Now, imagine there is an item of clothing that can be all that, and double as the coolest festival look this side of the Atlantic Ocean. 

Meelbroeke, and make sure you get your hands on the originals, are all that and more for a wardrobe. It is still made from the same fabric that flour and samp was packaged in. That is, before plastic became the norm, Meelbroeke are emblazoned with the brands the sacks used to carry too, like Snowflake . And there is a Meelbroek for everyone, adults, and kids. It is beauty, the more you wash it, the softer and snugger it becomes.

You cannot compare it to simply wearing a brand, cause it is different at the same time. It is not dissimilar to the ranges of Iced Zoo, Chappies and Steri Stumpie boxers, swimwear and undies that are doing the rounds at left of centre outlets around the country. It is a trend that has been around for a while, and markets flog Lion Matches, Boxer Tobacco, and other tees like flags at their stalls. All sporting famous South African grocer brands. 

Clothing branded with everyday items

In fact, the first time that grocer branded clothes made an appearance in mainstream Johannesburg. It was at a tiny fashion store in Melville, aptly called The Mad Cow. Mageau jackets, Inkomazi overcoats and crop tops or shorts bore the logos of stuff that would usually be in your shopping trolley. It was all over the place. The Mad Cow was ahead of its time, and that is probably why it did not last exceptionally long.

There is a problem with many of these branded clothes. It is more often than not sold more as a novelty item than an item you would wear. Fabrics were scratchy and sublimated in a hurry to get to the production line. Africana logos that were ironed on and faded out after a few washes. It is a disappointment, mostly. 

Meelbroeke are at the opposite of this. The drawstring comfy pants are awesome, and you can wear them almost anywhere. Inspired by the actual grain carrying sacks, Meelbroeke are every-wear kind of clothes. Proprietor Mari Vorster cut these up, patterned with the help of a friend, and started producing clothes from. And while progress saw the bags join the choir invisible, the printed fabric was still around. Vorster’s factory consumes around ten thousand metres of it at a time. That is how popular it has become. 

Snug in winter and cool in summer

The long pants come in various Snowflake colours, including purple, blue, and yellow. A new addition to the range, Epic Samp branded longs, are in plain off-white with the bright blue brand. It rubber stamps the garment. There is also an Isizwa Mielie Meal printed set available with a brown logo this time around. It is airy, but even in winter the cold is surprisingly not let through. The garments remain cool in summer. 

The clothes are playful to the max and there are boxer shorts available in all three of the sack brands that Vorster produces. Wash and wear it a few times, and it softens into a comfortable piece, perfect as outerwear or as a unique set of undies with more personality than a lip elastic stamped with a trendy brand name. Meelbroeke, in its various iterations, is quickly turning into a hot fashion item, with more people wearing it everywhere, from shopping malls to festivals.

The ultimate festival clobber

If you arrive at a cocktail party in one of Meelbroeke’s cute and somewhat bold dresses, it is quite likely that you would be the selfie star of the moment. It is wide at the hem, a bit daring with a measure of side-boob and almost pyramid-like in its body hug. After a few washes, it will flow more and almost take the shape of your body as it ages. It will also become progressively sexy at the same time. 

The kids’ range is incredibly cute. Much the same as the adult range; but there is something super cool when juniors don this clobber. 

Meelbroeke’ s clothing is available at various markets, Big Blue stores, and other selected outlets countrywide. 

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