Bolga baskets - a craft with a long tradition

While photographing our African baskets, a friend asked us why we chose this product. The effort to photograph every basket is too high. It would be much more efficient to choose products that look the same. In addition, baskets can certainly also be bought cheaper. At least on this point we had to agree with our friend.

When browsing through our collections, it can happen that you forget what is behind the product. The artists, also called artisans, who manufacture the product with their hands, for example the baskets, and thus finance their livelihood. The craft they learned was often passed on over generations. This craftsmanship is highly valued by us and is recognized in every respect. Fair wages, sustainable production, respectful and appreciative dealings with artists and suppliers are just a few of the points that we focus on.

One of our best-selling and most popular products is our Bolga Baskets. We would like to tell you more about their production in this blog post. The production of a market basket can take from several days to a week and requires a lot of tact.
The manufacturing process goes over several stages, starting with the elephant grass, the material from which the baskets are woven. The grass required is grown and processed locally. It is usually collected by the handicrafts and divided in half with their hands. The division of the grass is important in order to be able to process the material better. Then the blades of grass are rolled up so that they have the optimal structure for further processing. Each of these steps is carried out by hand, without any machine support. Before the braiding begins, the stalks are dyed - bright colors are very popular, but earthy and softer tones are also catching up.

Finally, the braiding can begin. Braiding is the most labor-intensive step in basket making. He needs a lot of skill and patience. This shows who has mastered the handicraft. Depending on the size, shape and pattern, the production of a single basket is very time-consuming. Every detail has to be right so that the basket can be sold at a good price.
As you can read, there is a lot of work, skill and tradition behind every basket and behind every item there is a proud family of artists who have earned their money with this craft for generations.

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