Hand Woven African Basket

This striking zig-zag design basket is hand-woven in contemporary shades from renewable natural fibres.

• Height 8cm, diameter at top 35cm

The basket is made with Lutindzi grass, which is a wild mountain grass that grows between the rocks. Each year it is harvested above the root by the women allowing the plant to regenerate over the following year. The grass is sour so it is not eaten by animals and the only use it has is ropemaking to keep thatch on the roof. The sisal used is an invasive weed which grows here and is cut by the women and hand harvested for the fibres.

The dye comes from Germany and is the only EU certified Eco dye available. The natural fibres are hand dyed at the workshop in dye baths fuelled by fuel efficient burners engineered especially for Gone Rural. The trees used to fuel the burners are non-indigenous trees that the local farmers cut down and deliver to us. Mostly Blue Gums and those trees suck 400 litres of water per day!