• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Upholstery Jobs
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsors

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

This African Trimmer Learned Upholstery from YouTube

August 29, 2019 By Nadeem Muaddi 1 Comment

The Hog Ring - Tshifhiwa Madzhie South Africa Auto Upholstery

Tshifhiwa Madzhie’s life was thrown for a loop when his father suddenly died, leaving him to care for his family of nine.

He was only 24 years old, and desperately trying to carve out a life of his own. But in Limpopo, one of South Africa‘s poorest regions, there are limited work opportunities.

Now, in addition to finding his own way in life, he had mouths to feed, bills to pay, and other unforeseen expenses and responsibilities.

“The death of my father flung me into the center stage of becoming a breadwinner,” Tshifhiwa told Capricorn Voice.

“I had to find something to do in order to supplement the little income which other family members, like my brothers and sisters, were sometimes able to bring in.”

Finding auto upholstery

Lost for what to do, Tshifhiwa went to his local internet cafe and began searching on YouTube for business ideas.

That’s when he stumbled upon the craft of auto upholstery.

He began watching how-to videos uploaded by trimmers from all over the world, teaching viewers how to repair headliners and sew seat covers.

Desperate to give it a try, Tshifhiwa raised enough money to buy a sewing machine and some tools. And through trial and error — and countless hours watching YouTube videos — he slowly began teaching himself how to do basic repairs.

“It was not easy to follow the instructions on the YouTube videos at first, but I had to focus and pay attention to the details,” he said.

The craft transformed his life

Today, Tshifhiwa owns a small auto upholstery shop in Limpopo, where he repairs headliners, door panels, dashboards and seats.

“I am a proud upholsterer who is in high-demand,” he told Capricorn Voice.

The Hog Ring - Tshifhiwa Madzhie South Africa Auto Upholstery

What’s more, he hired two young men who were in similarly desperate situations and taught them everything he learned from YouTube.

Tshifhiwa says the business makes just enough to support all three trimmers and their respective families.

Still, he has big dreams of relocating to a larger space, where he can take on additional clients and even employ more youth.

The craft of auto upholstery transformed Tshifhiwa’s life for the better, and he wants to see it do that for others in his community.

To read the full story, see: “Young entrepreneur teaches himself the art of upholstery through watching YouTube.”

Filed Under: Archive, Shop Profiles Tagged With: Africa, Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, Tshifhiwa Madzhie, YouTube

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle says

    August 31, 2019 at 8:56 am

    wow totally blown away…
    I wish him all best….. I’m from south Africa its amazing just see such talent.
    I always look at the hides of leather when reupholstering vehicle the end result

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

THR Sponsors

Haartz Right Rail Ad - 12
NC Sewing Machines
Miami Corporation
Top Down Group
Apex Leather
  • Keyston Bros
  • GAHH Automotive
  • Hyde Leather
  • Albright's Supply
  • Douglass Interior Products

THR Favorites

Why I Build Miniature Car Seats

For the past few years, I’ve been … [more] about Why I Build Miniature Car Seats

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Faurecia flat-seam stitch

Faurecia Introduces Flat-Seam Stitching

Faurecia, one of the largest automotive … [more] about Faurecia Introduces Flat-Seam Stitching

The Hog Ring - Loyola Auto Interiors Talks Shop and Pride

Loyola Auto Interiors Talks Shop and Pride

Veteran trimmer Luis Loyola of Loyola Auto … [more] about Loyola Auto Interiors Talks Shop and Pride

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Customs by Vos

Shop Profile: Customs By Vos

At just 32 years old, Dave Vos has already … [more] about Shop Profile: Customs By Vos

The Hog Ring - Trim Shop Closes after 111 Years in Business

Trim Shop Closes After 111 Years in Business

After 111 years in business, one of the … [more] about Trim Shop Closes After 111 Years in Business

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Red Neck Seat Cover Repair

Redneck Auto Upholstery Repair

Check out these ridiculous videos by YouTuber … [more] about Redneck Auto Upholstery Repair

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • Try Dinamica: A Quality Alternative to Alcantara
  • Texas Upholstery Shop Damaged in Fire
  • Miami Trimmer and Girlfriend Killed in Auto Accident
  • Profit Sharing Can Help Your Shop Attract Employees
  • Keyston Bros’ Annual Customer Appreciation Day is Almost Here!

Recent Comments

  • Core PG on Here’s Where You Can Still Buy Alcantara
  • Duncan sande on Bentley is Hiring Apprentices and Trainees
  • Adam on Every Trim Shop Should Download These Soft Top Care Guides
  • Shawn on Consoles by Modern Classic Interiors
  • Adam on Leather Supplier Pins Bankruptcy on Uber

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.
anal porno bangbros rus porno yaşlı porno konulu porno olgun porno porno izle sarışın porno bakire sex 69 porno

Copyright © 2022 · Magazine Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in