Anele Msweli’s all-natural products are finally getting the recognition they deserve, writes Katrine Anker-Nilssen.
Anele Msweli and her three sisters were raised by her mum in Montclair. “At Mowat Park High School I was a bit of an oddball, I was a library monitor and organised cake sales for Animal Action,” she laughs. “But a lot of my childhood was just me in my own head, dreaming big. I was obsessed with South Korea and Japan because everything about the East fascinated me.”
“Some of the best days of my life were spent at Rhodes University, where I studied a Bachelor of Science,” says Anele. “After University I volunteered for Greenpeace Africa. The most memorable part of this journey was on board the Rainbow Warrior, sailing with an eclectic and multi-national crew I learnt so much from.”
In 2016 Anele moved to Harbin in China. “I needed change, adventure and well, money, to be perfectly honest,” she says. Completing an online TEFL certificate, Anele secured a decent entry-level job. “The first three months were hard, I missed home and it was just the biggest culture shock,” says Anele – who chose Harbin because it was a city most unlike Durban, with long and freezing winters.
“I remember being absolutely down with my dry hair, scalp and hands in Harbin. Everyone blamed the harsh weather,” she says. “After a YouTube rabbit hole spiral, I learnt so much about essential and carrier oils, and started making concoctions for my dry hair.” And this is how Mare & Itis was born. “I found a South African expat selling essential oils and started tinkering away in my little kitchen. I also realised that the cleaning products in China had harmful chemicals that would cause a rash or peeling. That’s when I made the first prototype of the Zesty Kitchen cleaner.”
Anele moved on to Wuqing, a small district in Tianjin, and worked long hours as a Montessori English teacher and coordinator. “I was also studying Interior Design online,” she explains. “I was exhausted all the time, so I needed to make another plan as I couldn’t continue working myself to the bone.” Anele’s partner back home in South Africa, Kyle Watkins, told her to sit down and think long and hard about her future. “For our relationship, someone had to move. I was that someone. And, I was going to start a business. I needed to do something new and something I loved – and that included tinkering, creating, and being environmentally conscious.”
Mare & Itis has grown far beyond what Anele had imagined. “From just selling at markets in China, we are now online and at numerous stockists in KZN,” says Anele – who laughs when asked about the story behind the unusual name, which originates from her student days at Rhodes. “Mare is a ‘Rhodent’ word that you’d hear buzzing around on a Saturday morning; meaning somewhat a fun yet debaucherous time. Itis is slang from the Boondocks which is your translation of ‘maagies vol, ogies toe’ – that feeling you have after Christmas lunch,” she explains. “I decided to put these two amazing things together to create something that is quintessentially me. I love a good time and I love food.”
Anele had come back to South Africa for a friend’s wedding early last year. “I had a suitcase packed for two weeks, but then lockdown happened in both China and SA and I couldn’t go back,” she says. Mare & Itis Shoppe was propelled, and had to become a fully functioning income–earning business. “The year 2020 will always remain a significant year for me and for the brand. It was all or nothing, and I have learnt so much about entrepreneurship and resilience.”
Mare & Itis products instantly convert an apartment into a home. “They envelope the space with cosy and homely scents that often remind people of something. The non-toxic, natural and cruelty-free products are plant-based and biodegradable, work really well, and won’t break the bank,” says Anele – who still makes everything herself. “I formulated every single product with some help from friends in the industry. I think having studied science has helped a great deal.”
When Anele is not tinkering, she loves being in nature, traveling to new places and talking to passionate people. Her partner is also an entrepreneur. “Seeing his fire lit, working tirelessly to build his dream, inspires me every day. It lights my fire too,” she says – adding that she met Kyle on holiday in SA in 2018. “We will talk about our businesses, the operations and the ups and downs until the wee hours. It is so good to have someone with far more experience than you do, someone who can be a sane sounding board.”
This year Anele is focusing on growth by leading Mare & Itis into more retail stores. “We want to shift the consumer mindset; it’s affordable and practical to shop consciously,” she says. “We also want to educate. Even if you don’t buy a Mare & Itis product, but you have learnt something from us – whether it’s about essential oils or cleaning products, which will make you shop with your health and environment in mind – then we have done our part.” *
FOR MORE INFO: www.mareanditis.shop, anele@mareanditis.com
Stockists: Faithful to Nature, Yuppiechef, We Are Egg at the Cavendish Mall, Off the Shelf in Umdloti, Sage Ko’op in Salt Rock, Vittoria & Co at the Watercrest Mall.
