This month we’re celebrating the ancient craft of weaving and basketry.

Our ancestors were adding functionality and adornment to their living spaces with woven baskets, before pottery and woven cloth items came around. The art of basket weaving is passed down from generation to generation and it comforts us to know that a sense of pride and belonging is woven into each piece. We like to imagine that the artisans are weaving pieces of their storied cultures, along with a bit of myth, into these functional forms of symbolism.

Locally, in New Zealand, basket weaving is a living art form, symbolic of the Maori cultural heritage, as it is in Africa.

Encouraging the movement towards cultivating more conscious consumers, means taking time to recognise and understand the labour of love that goes into the production of each hand crafted basket we present to you. Traditionally, the art of weaving was passed down from mother to daughter; the women of the family being responsible for gathering grains and vegetables from the fields during harvest time -  baskets being the functional item thereof. We’d like to encourage you to engage with the stories behind our crafters at Gone Rural, Design Afrika and African Handmade.

Next time you pick up a hand woven basket and turn it over in your hands, take a moment to feel its texture beneath your fingertips, to notice the interplay of colour and pattern and how that artistic freedom points towards the love and energy behind the craft.

Whether you’re considering an array of varying basket bowl designs to create wall art of your own, or a floor standing basket to hold laundry or toys, you can take comfort in the knowledge that the pieces you welcome into your home from Artisans Bloom are ethically and sustainably produced by artisans who love what they do.