We've got some brand new Ugandan Craft baskets, plates and trays available online now! As these are always some of our most popular pieces, we thought we'd share a little bit about our Ugandan Craft Collection with you...
Our Co-founder, Bee, described Uganda as the most beautiful country she's ever had the pleasure of travelling to. Here in a rural village she met with Ruth, the head of a group of incredibly creative weavers. Using a wrapping technique similar to that of neighbouring country, Rwanda, the baskets from our Ugandan group are like pieces of art. Topista is the lead talent within the co-operative and inspired by our crocodile rug came up with her own crocodile basket in response. House, cat and bird motifs are also common in rich earthy tones made from natural dyes.
Our Uganda Craft Collection basket dishes and pots are all hand woven using traditional natural dyes, sisal and raffia straw. They are amazingly strong and durable. No two are woven the same, so only one of each is available making them the perfect unique and special gift or individual art piece. All the materials are sourced locally and the dyes are all natural colours derived from local vegetation.Weaving is a long process and it takes around 2 – 3 days to weave a 12-14” basket. This is on top of harvesting, preparing and dying the materials.
Ruth is our lady on the ground in Uganda after Bee met her on a trip in 2019. Ruth has four children, two of whom she adopted. She grew up with seven siblings and family has always been very important to her. She lives in a rural village near the town of Fort Portal, a famous part of Uganda for tourists hoping to see gorillas and chimps. Ruth is an incredibly compassionate woman, telling us; "As a creative art maker, I earn a small living and love to help those who have less than me." Ruth dreams of building her family their own home with an Arts and Crafts Gallery attached to sell what she and the groups she works with make.
The sale of our baskets encourages the craft of basket weaving to continue being handed down from generation to generation and provides an alternative to poaching and farming during drought.
You can shop the full collection of Ugandan Craft Baskets here.