EPISODE 66 :: Masego Morgan & Stella Hertantyo of cncs_

Close Knit

In episode 66 of the Close Knit podcast, I spoke to Masego Morgan and Stella Hertantyo of cncs_ (pronounced “conscious”). I so cherished this conversation with these two - it felt like a wonderful space to sit in our uncertainty and be candid about no knowing what is next.

Masego is a sustainable fashion advocate, residing in the suburbs of Cape Town. Currently doing her postgrad in Sustainable Development, while working as a creative strategist for a local South African brand called Good Good Good - this may change by the time the episode is out since she’s finding it difficult to balance the two and have a personal life. She’s terrible at following instructions, whether it's a recipe or a design pattern.

At the end of last year, Stella completed her B.A. in Multimedia Journalism and she is currently doing her Postgraduate Diploma at the Sustainability Institute in Cape Town. Stella is a slow living enthusiast and a lover of low-impact fashion. She is passionate about encouraging an approach to sustainability that is inclusive, accessible, fun and locally-centred, as we try to figure out how to create a regenerative future. When I'm not in front of my laptop doing uni work, you'll probably find me reading, writing, illustrating or baking/cooking. A dip in the ocean, or a walk in the mountains, are the two things that bring me the most peace.

At the beginning of 2020, Masego and Stella created an online platform together, called cnscs_. They created cnscs_, because they wanted to create an online community where knowledge, ideas, and resources around sustainable living (especially in a local context) could be shared. They see cnscs_ as a space to introduce people to sustainable living and apply it to their lives in a way that’s sustainable to them. Their focus is on telling and sharing African stories and decolonising the current sustainability narrative. They share interviews with lots of change-making people, resource-based articles that inspire positive action and spark thought in our sustainability school section, wish lists, moodboards, musings, and tips and tricks that we have learnt along the way. They talk loads about personal style and slow fashion, but also sprinkle in content that discusses other aspects of sustainability.