BLUSH: Dusky Pink and Natural Handwoven Placemat
Make room at the table for sustainable style with these exquisite round placemats, hand woven from indigenous lutindzi grass in rural Swaziland. A blush coloured rim encircles each of these handwoven placemats, framing a circle of natural fibre.
This wiry grass grows wild in the mountainous regions of Swaziland. Lutindzi is naturally waxy in nature which makes it water and stain-resistant and therefore ideal for tableware. Available to purchase individually, these placemats can be mixed and matched beautifully with other tableware items in this collection: we suggest pairing with LAVUSIMO Blush and LAVUSIMO Desert bowls which are available in a range of sizes – and our set of six matching coasters in blush and natural.
These baskets are meticulously woven by craftswomen working within fair trade cooperatives in rural Swaziland. Purchasing one of these colourful woven baskets supports the ongoing work of Gone Rural Bomake, a not for profit organisation empowering 770 artisans all over the country with the training and the means to create beautiful handicrafts from the local materials available to them. This organisation works to improve local healthcare, education and sanitation through the provision of this sustainable employment. You can meet the weavers from Swaziland here.
MATERIAL: Lutindzi Grass (Indigenous to Swaziland & grows wild in the mountains)
DIMENSIONS: 32cm W
Please note, as this is a handmade product, dimensions & colour may vary from those shown in the photographs.
Price is for one placemat, please select your desired quantity from the drop-down menu.
FAIR TRADE AND ETHICALLY HANDMADE IN SWAZILAND
With the support of local charity, Gone Rural, the weavers behind these beautiful fair trade baskets and bowls are trained in various handcrafts using the traditional techniques and the raw materials locally available to them. Promoting local crafts in this way protects livelihoods and helps build viable income channels for future generations.
Gone Rural buys the lutindzi grasses from local harvesting communities and prepares it in their workshop using eco-friendly dyes, fuel-efficient burners and non-indigenous wood. The grass is then dried, weighed and bundled up before being distributed amongst the weaving communities along with basket designs so that the weavers can start their work with everything they need. Grass deliveries and orders arrive monthly on a rolling basis so that the weavers have a steady stream of reliable work, and three weeks after grass deliveries an informal market day is held in the mountains, where the production team returns to purchase finished baskets. Many artisans assemble here monthly to sell their wares: everything from baked goods to second-hand clothes and home-grown vegetables, as well as these woven baskets.
This organisation runs vital programmes to support the weavers, their families and their communities: many mothers credit basket weaving initiatives for paying their children’s school fees, and some communities have had boreholes drilled with the proceeds from their work after wages have been paid.
Shop the Swazi Hills Tableware collection here.
Delivery Info
EUROPEAN CUSTOMERS
For parcels to European destinations please allow 5 days for delivery.
We are pleased to announce that from 22nd July 2021 we will be sending all European customer orders delivered duty paid (DDP). This means most EU based customers will no longer have to pay any additional import duty or taxes before receiving their orders.
Due to in country export changes the following countries will be subject to additional charges to receive their order. We will also require a personal tax number for dispatch:
Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Italy, Spain
UK DELIVERY
We aim to dispatch all orders within 1 working day*, once your payment has been confirmed.
For orders £20 and under:
- Royal Mail Standard 2nd Class at £ 2.95
- Royal Mail Standard 1st Class at £ 3.45
- DPD Local Next Day Delivery (order before 10am) at £ 3.95
- DPD EXPRESS, pre 12pm (order before 2pm) at £ 6.95
- DPD SATURDAY NOM (order before 2pm) at £ 10.95
For orders £20.01 and over
- DPD Local Next Day Delivery (order before 10am) at £ 3.95
- DPD EXPRESS, pre 12pm (order before 2pm) at £ 6.95
- DPD SATURDAY NOM (order before 2pm) at £ 10.95
FREE Delivery for orders £100 and over
- DPD Local Next Day Delivery (order before 10am) FREE
Free Click and Collect:
- Available from our Oxfordshire based office (address below) select pickup option at checkout. Pick up available during office hours of Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, you will be notified by email once your order is ready for collection.
9 Worcester Rd Ind. Estate
Chipping Norton
OX7 5XW
Tel: 01608 239482
INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY
We deliver worldwide, postage prices are based on the total weight of your order, calculated at the checkout. Most services are sent Tracked & Signed unless otherwise stated.
Please note, most countries will charge import duty on goods over a certain value, it is the buyer's responsibility to pay any charges that occur on importation at destination.
If you cannot see your country listed, please contact sales@thebasketroom.com to provide you with a shipping quote.
WHAT IF IT DOESN'T ARRIVE
It is very rare that items will get lost in the post. If there is no sign of your basket after 10 days, the plan of action is:
- Check the shipping address on your order confirmation.
- Check with your neighbours – sometimes the courier will leave parcels with your close neighbours.
- If no luck, please contact us and we will try to help solve the problem
COLLECTION FROM AN EVENT
Collection of your baskets direct from a fair or event that we're exhibiting may be possible. Please phone Holly on 01608 239482 to arrange it with 48 hrs advance notice. In this case, postage costs will be refunded.
CANCELLATION OF ORDER
You have the right to cancel your order, however if the order has already been processed and shipped by The Basket Room, you will need to follow the standard returns procedure. Please let us know as soon as possible.
HANDWOVEN BASKET DISCLAIMER
All of our baskets are exquisitely handmade in remote rural corners of Africa using natural materials, one piece at a time, with no two baskets the same. Although every effort is made to create only the best product, there may be natural blemishes or bumps and curves in places, as well as patches of dirt that can be sometimes noticed on the recycled wool sisal mix baskets. These should not be misconstrued as flaws, but are what make each basket a handmade product, charming and unique.
In addition to this, as each basket is individually hand woven some variation in size and colour may occur. If you need a specific size please let us know prior to placing your order. By purchasing this product online, you agree with these disclaimers.
STORING YOUR BASKET
If your basket gets wet, simply leave it to dry naturally and re-shape. When not in use, we recommend storing somewhere completely dry and warm (and damp proof!)
As dyes are natural, colours may fade over time if basket is in direct sunlight.
Please be aware as the baskets are made of grass any areas in the home where there may be moisture in the air could cause your basket to grow mould.
When using our baskets as planters or to cover plastic pots, please ensure a plastic dish is used in the bottom to catch any excess water as the sisal may rot and dyes may run.
RETURNS
If you decide you don’t like your basket we will be happy to accept returns, and refund you for the item as long as it is returned to us within 21 days of purchase. Returned products must be in the same condition as was received, complete with original swing tags and labels attached. Where possible, please include a note or brief reason for return. Unfortunately we can’t refund the cost of shipping and we do require you to pay for the postage of your returned items. Used or customer damaged items cannot be refunded or exchanged. We advise you to send this as recorded post, or keep a copy of proof of postage in the event that the package goes missing.
If your basket arrives with you damaged from the post on it's way out to you, and you would like to return it, we will of course be happy to reimburse for the item and the cost of shipping as long as you let us know about the damaged basket within 1 week of receiving your item/s.
All returns should be sent to:
9 Worcester Road Industrial Estate
Chipping Norton
OX7 5XW
Tel: 01608 239482
