We stitch lifelong memories.
Bonji was never meant to become a business.
It started in 2019, here in Bloemfontein in the Free State, with a love for creating and a simple idea: I wanted to make something special and personal for a friend. Something made just for her baby. Something that would not simply be used for a few months and forgotten, but something that could be loved, used and remembered for years.
I sat beside my husband while he helped me with the design and taught me how the process worked. Together, we created that very first blanket.
And that one blanket changed everything.
Another friend immediately wanted one too. Then people started seeing them at baby showers and asking, “Do you take orders?” At the time, I didn’t.
I had another job, I had never planned on starting a baby brand, and I certainly never imagined where that first blanket would lead. But three very special friends believed in what I was creating before I really believed it myself. They encouraged me, pushed me to give it a chance, and in 2019 I started the Bonji Facebook page.
I have never looked back.
The name Bonji is just as personal to me as the products we create.
It came from my beloved Husky, Bonjo, who I affectionately called Bonji or Bon. After losing him, naming the brand Bonji became my own little way of allowing his memory to live on. And in a way, that meaning has become part of everything Bonji stands for — creating things worth keeping, remembering and loving for years to come.
I have loved creating for as long as I can remember.
As a little girl, I would make cards and gifts for my mom and the people I loved. For me, taking the time to make something especially for someone has always meant so much more than quickly buying something off a shelf. Creating is one of the ways I say, “I love you.” That same feeling is still at the heart of Bonji today.
Every Bonji product begins from scratch right here in Bloemfontein. From the first design, to printing, cutting and sewing, our products are handmade by our small team. There are two wonderful ladies in our production team, one lady who keeps things running in the office, and me — the owner, designer, creator and person behind Bonji.
We may have grown, but we are still proudly small, personal and hands-on.
Since starting Bonji, my own life has changed too.
I got married and became a mom to two little girls, and motherhood completely changed the way I looked at my own products. Suddenly, I wasn’t only designing what I thought moms might need — I was living it.
I began noticing the little things that could make our products better, more practical and more useful. Motherhood helped me improve products we already had and inspired new ones based on things I found myself needing with my own children.
Today we create personalised blankets, hooded towels, towels, cot and single duvet covers, pillowcases, milestone cards and other special pieces for babies and children. But for me, Bonji has never simply been about putting a name on a product.
I want you to open your Bonji parcel and think:
I want it to be something your little boy or girl can use for years. Something that belongs to them. Something personal, useful and meaningful enough to become part of their childhood.
A Bonji should feel like more than a purchase. It should feel like a keepsake.
When I think about how Bonji has grown from one blanket made for a friend to a community of more than 14,000 people on Facebook, the first thing I feel is gratitude.
Thank you.
Without you, Bonji would simply have remained a blanket I once made for someone I loved. Instead, you allowed it to become part of thousands of little childhoods, gifts, celebrations and memories.
When I think about how Bonji has grown from one blanket made for a friend to a community of more than 14,000 people on Facebook, the first thing I feel is gratitude.
To the friends who believed in me at the very beginning.
To the person who placed that first order.
To the moms who trusted us with something for their babies.
To the grandmothers who order for their grandchildren.
To the friends looking for that extra-special baby shower gift.
And especially to the customers who come back to us again and again…
Thank you.
Without you, Bonji would simply have remained a blanket I once made for someone I loved. Instead, you allowed it to become part of thousands of little childhoods, gifts, celebrations and memories.
The simplest answer is probably: my heart is in it.
Bonji was created out of love long before there was a thought of making money, building a following or creating a business. And I never want that to change.My heart and soul go into this brand — into the designs, the products, the service and the experience I want every customer to have.
Our customers often send us ideas, inspiration and requests, and I love taking those ideas and turning them into something that feels uniquely theirs while still carrying that unmistakable Bonji touch.
Because at Bonji, we don’t just make products. We make something for your baby. From our little team in Bloemfontein, with a whole lot of love.
— Surene
Founder & Designer, Bonji
