K-Way Factory Shop is a brand which belongs to the holding company Cape Union Mart. This company is one of the biggest family-owned businesses in South Africa supplying outdoor and technical apparel.
Even though this company was established in South Africa, it has become one of the leading companies around the world when it comes to technical and outdoor clothing.
At its factory in Capetown, K-Way employs about a hundred and ninety people. It subcontracts its other work to upcoming factories in its vicinity that employ a further one hundred people. This ensures that the company has an impact on the area where it works.
Many people who love the apparel from the K-Way Factory Shop actually have no idea that this is a family owned business that still takes family values seriously. This has been part of the reason behind its success. Unlike the big manufacturers who make clothes for the large chain stores in South Africa and the region, K-Way has not compromised on quality by moving its work to cheaper countries where employees’ working conditions have continued to deteriorate.
Every employee of this company continues to feel as if they are a part of a large family.
Shoppers who walk into any of the K-Way factory shops can expect apparel for all ages.
Early History of K-Way
The mother company of K-Way, Cape Union Mart, has been in business since 1933. This means that they have been supplying outdoor and technical gear for over 80 years. This is the reason why subsidiary companies within this group have become the favorite when it comes to outdoor clothing for both men and women.
Part of the reason why Cape Union Mart decided to offer something different is that the owner recognised that the business could not stand the competition of large retail stores such as OK Bazaars and Woolworths inside which it was sandwiched.
The K-Way Factory shop is the brainchild of the late Philip Krawitz who started the business at the corner of Mostert and Corporation Streets in Cape Town. During those days it was known as the Army and Navy Store. During this time, it was known as the store where you could buy anything from the toothpick to an anchor for a boat.