The Story of Jaja
Jaja’s story began in 2017.
He was a small kitten living in the Langrug informal settlement just outside Franschhoek when he was run over outside the house where he lived. The injuries were severe, and he lay there for nearly two days before anyone intervened.
Eventually he was taken to a vet.
For a time it wasn’t clear if he would survive.
But he did.
Jaja was rescued and brought home by Nikki, who nursed him through those first difficult days. What began as an emergency act of care slowly grew into something much deeper.
Jaja became her companion.
Not the kind of cat who sits quietly nearby, but the kind who insists on sitting on you rather than next to you — always close, always seeking affection.
He carried a few small reminders of his early life. The end of his tail had a slight crook in it, curling back like a candy cane. On his coat was a distinctive swirl marking that would later become the inspiration for the patterns used in the brand.
For years Jaja lived between the homes of people who cared for him — Nikki, her mother Nana, and the wider circle of family and friends who looked after him. He was deeply loved and fiercely protected.
Like many cats who have experienced early trauma, Jaja sometimes struggled with skin irritation and over-grooming. At one point he began licking himself raw.
Instead of cones or restrictive collars, the solution came through improvisation. A simple sock was cut and turned into a small vest to protect his skin while it healed.
Jaja didn’t fight it.
That small moment of problem-solving became the beginning of an idea.
Over time the sock turned into modified dog shirts, and those experiments eventually evolved into properly designed garments that fit comfortably and allowed him to move freely.
Years later, those early improvisations would become the foundation of Jaja Binksy Atelier.
The brand itself carries pieces of Jaja within it.
The swirl pattern used throughout the collections comes from the marking on his coat.
The signature J symbol echoes the curve of his tail.
Each capsule is released like a signed print, marked with a drop date.
What began as care for one small animal slowly became something more.
Jaja Binksy Atelier is a small atelier dedicated to companion apparel — thoughtfully designed for the animals who share our lives and the people who love them.
And through Positive Paws, each collection also contributes to supporting animal welfare, helping other animals receive the same care that once saved Jaja.
Because sometimes the smallest rescue can grow into something much larger.
designed to care
The Story of Jaja
Jaja’s story began in 2017.
He was a small kitten living in the Langrug informal settlement just outside Franschhoek when he was run over outside the house where he lived. The injuries were severe, and he lay there for nearly two days before anyone intervened.
Eventually he was taken to a vet.
For a time it wasn’t clear if he would survive.
But he did.
Jaja was rescued and brought home by Nikki, who nursed him through those first difficult days. What began as an emergency act of care slowly grew into something much deeper.
Jaja became her companion.
Not the kind of cat who sits quietly nearby, but the kind who insists on sitting on you rather than next to you — always close, always seeking affection.
He carried a few small reminders of his early life. The end of his tail had a slight crook in it, curling back like a candy cane. On his coat was a distinctive swirl marking that would later become the inspiration for the patterns used in the brand.
For years Jaja lived between the homes of people who cared for him — Nikki, her mother Nana, and the wider circle of family and friends who looked after him. He was deeply loved and fiercely protected.
Like many cats who have experienced early trauma, Jaja sometimes struggled with skin irritation and over-grooming. At one point he began licking himself raw.
Instead of cones or restrictive collars, the solution came through improvisation. A simple sock was cut and turned into a small vest to protect his skin while it healed.
Jaja didn’t fight it.
That small moment of problem-solving became the beginning of an idea.
Over time the sock turned into modified dog shirts, and those experiments eventually evolved into properly designed garments that fit comfortably and allowed him to move freely.
Years later, those early improvisations would become the foundation of Jaja Binksy Atelier.
The brand itself carries pieces of Jaja within it.
The swirl pattern used throughout the collections comes from the marking on his coat.
The signature J symbol echoes the curve of his tail.
Each capsule is released like a signed print, marked with a drop date.
What began as care for one small animal slowly became something more.
Jaja Binksy Atelier is a small atelier dedicated to companion apparel — thoughtfully designed for the animals who share our lives and the people who love them.
And through Positive Paws, each collection also contributes to supporting animal welfare, helping other animals receive the same care that once saved Jaja.
Because sometimes the smallest rescue can grow into something much larger.
designed to care
Founder's Letter
Some brands begin with a business plan.
Jaja Binksy Atelier began with a small injured kitten.
In 2017 a kitten named Jaja was run over outside a house in the Langrug informal settlement just outside Franschhoek. He lay injured for nearly two days before anyone stepped in to help.
It was Nikki who eventually found him and took him to the vet. For a while it wasn’t clear if he would survive.
But he did.
Jaja slowly became part of our lives — moving between the homes of people who cared deeply for him. Over time he became more than a rescue. He became a companion in the truest sense of the word.
Jaja is what I jokingly call a complete cling-on. He doesn’t sit next to you, he sits on you. If you are working, he climbs into your lap. If you are resting, he finds his way onto your chest. He always wants to be close.
Living with him changed the way I thought about animals.
They are not simply pets who live alongside us. They share our homes, our routines and our quiet moments. They become part of the fabric of our lives.
Jaja also carried small reminders of his early life. The end of his tail has a slight crook that curls back on itself like a candy cane. On his coat he has a distinctive swirl marking.
Those small details eventually found their way into the brand.
The swirl pattern used throughout the collections comes from the marking on his coat.
The signature J echoes the curve of his tail.
Each capsule release is marked like a signed print.
The idea for the clothing itself began in a much simpler way.
Like many animals who experienced early trauma, Jaja sometimes struggled with skin irritation and over-grooming. At one point he began licking himself raw. To help protect his skin while it healed, a small sock was cut and turned into a soft vest.
It worked.
Over time those simple improvisations evolved into properly designed garments that were comfortable enough for him to wear.
What began as care for one small animal slowly became something more.
Jaja Binksy Atelier grew from that bond — a small atelier dedicated to companion apparel designed for the animals who share our lives and the people who love them.
And through Positive Paws, every collection contributes to supporting animal welfare and helping more animals receive the care Jaja once needed.
Sometimes the smallest rescue quietly changes the direction of a life.
Jaja certainly changed mine.
— Denise