MATUNDA: Banana Fibre Woven Basket
Description
Hand woven banana fibres create an earthy, textured look in this basket collection. Choose from three useful sizes and use yours as a planter for cacti and succulents, a flower pot for indoor house plants, or a large planter for bigger shrubs. The MATUNDA baskets look stunning on a nightstand or dressing table, filled with jewellery or scarves, or keeping your bathroom products on a shelf. Pop one or two in the kitchen for storing fruit and veg, or use one by the fireplace for kindling and newspapers. For more ideas, check out our basket uses page HERE.
Basket weaving is a vital and income-generating art form, passed down the female bloodline. Woven by extremely talented craftswomen working within a weaving cooperative in Kenya’s rural Coastal Region, these storage baskets are ethically made. The Basket Room works with a Community Based Organisation representing several women’s weaving cooperatives in Kenya. Profits from sales and all donations to the CBO are used to offer further support to these women’s groups.
Weaving is a flexible, portable mode of work and takes place primarily during the dry seasons since most weavers are subsistence farmers reliant largely on the production of their crops as a source of income. Each basket comes with a thank you card from the cooperative who made yours - meet the weavers HERE.
Material: SISAL, BANANA TREE BARK & BRANDED LEATHER TAB
Dimensions:
XS: 15cm DIA x 10cm H
M: 20cm DIA x 15cm H
XL: 35cm DIA x 30cm H
HANDMADE IN KENYA
Our journey into sustainable style began in Kenya, and the lion’s share of our woven baskets are Kenyan-made. Whilst every region of Kenya boasts its own rich natural bounty, each cooperative we partner with offers expertise in its own unique form of basketry. Weaving, dyeing and grass-rolling techniques differ across the regions as much as basket shapes, patterns and structures. These precious crafts are woven through the generations within families - passed along continuous thread from mother to daughter - protecting and preserving an art form as old as man.
Vast and colourful, vibrant and bursting with natural beauty and style, our fair trade baskets are as eclectic as their homeland and its people. From sisal grass to doum palm, banana leaf fibres to palm leaf, each weaving cooperative works with what is locally available and only what can be sustainably sourced, to produce beautiful baskets which are 100% Kenyan made, and ethically produced. All cow hide bag tags, straps, and basket labels are made from leather sourced as a by-product of the food industry. Natural dyes come from pounded roots, bark and vegetables of the region, whilst all synthetic dyes are sustainably sourced.
From the Kamba tribe to the camel-herding Ariaal pastoralists of Northern Kenya, you can read more about the lives of the Kenyan weavers we work with - and the wonderful baskets they produce - below.
Meet The Artisans
Who Made Your Basket?
United KingdomExcellent Service and Advice
Very good superb basket
The Basket Room
Thank you for your review. We are glad to hear you are happy with your new basket!
United KingdomMatunda
Overall experience was fine, efficient and convenient. I use the basket to store wood. I hope the craft-maker gets a fair portion of the full price.
The Basket Room
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review and we hope the bigger basket is more useful for you!
United Kingdomsuper planter
LOVE this basket. Been looking for a planter for a large houseplant for a while now and this is absolutely perfect! Looks fab, thank you!
The Basket Room
Thank you for your review! So glad you found a basket to fit your plant, we'd love to see it in it's new home! Thank you for shopping with us at The Basket Room!
United KingdomGorgeous
The real products are delightful quality and beautifully made
The Basket Room
Thank you for your review and shopping with us at The Basket Room! Enjoy your new basket!
