Ngala Trading grows global brand from African roots
NEW YORK — Lawson Ricketts and Nick Geimer never expected their move to Africa 20 years ago would lead to a global home furnishing and design brand. The founders of New York-based Ngala Trading, an accent furniture and décor supplier, have experienced rapid growth with their business and will debut their latest collection, as well as expand their outdoor line, at the upcoming High Point Market.
Alongside the launch, Ngala Trading also will open its new showroom space, dubbed The Watering Hole, a reimagined central salon at Suites at Market Square. Designed as a stylish den and creative oasis, the company says the space will display the brand’s latest outdoor furniture collection and offers a relaxing lounge for busy design professionals.
“We are continuing to expand a number of suppliers that we work with, so that enables us to promote these brands more (and) reach more households with the existing brands that we promote,” said Ricketts.
See also:
- Ngala Trading finds the missing piece in its assortment
- Ngala Trading opens permanent showroom in New York Design Center
- Ngala Trading partners with new line of African-based home décor
Ngala Trading’s roots took shape between 2007 and 2016 when Ricketts and Geimer, both from the U.S., moved to South Africa for work and turned their time there into a thriving design venture. When Rickett’s work assignment ended with USAID, they decided to remain in South Africa and in 2011 opened a furniture store in Millpark, Johannesburg.
That decision marked a beginning. The Milpark store quickly gained recognition in interior design, attracting many American clients who were often bused in from a nearby five-star hotel.
“I kind of blended the American traditional plaids (and) tweeds with zebra hides and more unique traditional South African design,” said Ricketts. “I had Americans in my store all the time, and I was shipping things to America, left, right and center.
“Nick was in the store on Saturdays and Sundays and said, ‘There is something here that American’s aren’t able to access,’” he continued. “And so, after 10 years in Johannesburg, we decided to move back to America,” bringing their business with them.
In 2016, Ngala Trading bought their first shipping container and shipped the contents of their store over to the U.S.
“We get to share our story and our love for South Africa and African designs because we source from other countries from the continent,” said Ricketts. “We normally go back two or three times a year to source, maintain the relationships, see the factories and see all of our things being made. It has been a great opportunity to share our story of South Africa.”
The company’s leadership says it is currently working with nine supplier partners and manages its growth by maintaining existing inventory and adding new pieces when space runs out, a challenge it views as positive. While it does not operate retails stores in the U.S., it maintains showrooms that clients can visit: in New York and in High Point.
Ngala Trading designs its own pieces, but also has an active network of interior designers it works with. It has around 400 stocking dealers that display Ngala products and has sold to nearly 2,000 customers in the past 18 months.
In addition to the U.S. showrooms, Ngala Trading maintains a 15,000-square-foot warehouse in both Cape Town, South Africa, where everything leaves from and gets consolidated, and in New Jersey, for handling containers coming into the Port of New York.
Products with South African aesthetics
Geimer said the company sells everything from a bowl that is made from Kenya for $10 to a 60-inch diameter leather chandelier that sells for $15,000. Chandeliers in this group range up to $50,000.
“People started first to know us from our leather lighting,” Geimer said, “so what I think is so special about South African design is they are very bold in their use of materials, patterns, colors all of that and they are not afraid to take chances, they are hand stripped and then weaved into lighting.”
At the October High Point Market, Ngala Trading will be introducing a whimsical new Cape Town-based artisan brand named Bros on the Road. A collective of Zimbabwean bead artists, pieces include hand-beaded mirrors, retailing between $4,000 and $5,000, and candlesticks that reflect palm trees, flowers, foliage and birds in its beaded designs.
“These people are tremendously creative, and Nick and I guide them in what we believe will be commercial in this market,” said Geimer. “We help them production-wise so that it is as consistent as possible. Then of course we have to develop special custom packaging so that it can make the 9,000-mile trip and make it to the customers’ doorstep in Montana or Los Angeles or New York in good condition.”
New for High Point
Initially launched in 2024, Ngala Trading’s outdoor furniture is being expanded with new product designs, additional sizes and a variety of pairings, such as a bistro set.
Other pieces in the spotlight at this market include the Ostrich Fluff poufs and ottomans, with new design styles and color offerings to create a full range of ostrich feather-accented furniture.
The company also sells Ardmore, one of the most famous home furnishing luxury brands in South Africa, known for its ceramic pieces and bohemian-inspired furniture pieces.
Following the High Point Market, select pieces will be on display in the Ngala Trading flagship showroom at the New York Design Center. Design professionals are encouraged to open a trade account for sampling and ordering. For more information, visit online.
