Problem
Unemployment is a major issue in South Africa, and in Salt River, it disproportionately affects the area's diverse population, including many working-class individuals and immigrants. These challenges are intensified by housing insecurity and the effects of gentrification, which continue to displace long-standing residents. As a result, many women of colour in Salt River face increasing barriers to stable, dignified work.

Insight
Salt River has deep roots in South Africa's textile industry, with the establishment of the Rex Trueform Buildings in 1938 as a leading textile manufacturer in the country. During apartheid, the Rex Trueform clothing factory stood out as one of the few places where women of colour-though still segregated-were employed in large numbers.
The original architectural blueprints reveal the largest proportion of cloakroom space was allocated specifically for "non-European" women.
This detail reflects more than just spatial planning-it acknowledges the presence and importance of women of colour in the workforce.
In this way, the blueprints serve as a form of validation, embedding opportunities for women of colour into the very structure of the building and simultaneously showing the significant impact of this group in the textile industry.

Solution
Pincushion is a handcrafted cyanotype typeface designed to celebrate and promote the empowerment of women of colour in Salt River, Cape Town. Inspired by the suburb's rich heritage, the typeface reflects a fusion of feminine strength and creativity through the art of sewing - a skill taught to local women as a means of earning a sustainable livelihood. Applied across sewing-related merchandise, Pincushion not only highlights the value of traditional feminine crafts but also serves as a practical tool, guiding women to resources and skills for economic independence. By weaving feminism into its design, the typeface, when applied to a governmental employment campaign, honours Salt River's working-class roots while uplifting women through the transformative power of textiles and crafting.