Cape Town designer Kenan van Kooij cleans, melts, dyes and hand-assembles plastic bottles into high-end fashion inspired by the ocean. This young designer is going places.
Cape Town, South Africa (19 October 2026) – The world is full of fast fashion and endless waste. Leave it to South African creativity to turn everyday trash into something beautiful!
Kenan van Kooij is the young Cape Town-based fashion designer behind the bold, avant-garde local label, Swanbooij. Raised on a farm with a deep love for nature, Kenan has been making waves across the local fashion scene by treating plastic trash as a high-end textile.
Earlier this year, Kenan blew up social media with his viral ‘Sashimi’ dress. Handcrafted over six whole months using upcycled plastic bottles collected from local restaurants, the stunning aquamarine piece showed everyone how much beauty and glamour can be unlocked from discarded single-use plastic!
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Our local eco-champion is back at it again with his latest creation, the ‘Red Snapper’ dress.
Inspired by the unexplored wonders of ocean life, Kenan’s newest piece keeps the green momentum going by transforming discarded plastic water bottles into wearable art.
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An Overflowing Bin, a Passionate Activist, and a Lesson on Keeping Our Communities Clean“I visited my local recycling ring and came back with a bag filled with mostly plastic water bottles, which I then cleaned, cut, melted, and dyed to turn something discarded into something beautiful and high-fashioned,” Kenan shares of his detailed process.
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Using a collaging technique, Kenan designed the neckline to look like a real fishtail, matching his initial sketch, which looks like a fish when flipped upside down.
“There’s so much unexplored beauty in the ocean, and I’ve enjoyed seeing how I can bring my imaginations to life and interpret sea life differently,” he adds.
Adding to his newest creation, Kenan has also played with bralette designs, which come with matching accessories – all of it is made from recycled plastic!
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Kenan says that his experience in the realms of slow fashion creation is all about patience, craft, and making an impact. Every piece of plastic for his gowns is individually cleaned, shaped with a light flame, heat-punched, and lovingly assembled by hand on a mannequin using jump rings.
“Throughout my design journey, the value of craft has stood out to me the most,” he reflects. “I’ve never felt more unpredictable as a designer, and I really do feel like there’s so much potential and opportunity for innovative fashion.”
The talented young South African creative hopes to expand his green vision into full collections, accessories, and jewellery, while empowering women in under-resourced communities through handwork job opportunities as his brand grows!
“I’m really excited to just create impact with my work and share what I love to do,” says Kenan.
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