MAPATO: Green & Pink Check Woven Storage Basket - Medium

With its baked tile checks against a fern green base, the MAPATO baskets are handwoven in Kenya from local and sustainably sourced sisal in three different sizes. Use a small basket for jewellery and watches, remote controls and cables, whilst the medium and large woven baskets make lovely storage for slippers, gloves, scarves and rugs, toys, laundry, loo rolls and craft projects. These stylish checked baskets also make excellent woven planters for your houseplants – and we can’t think of a more perfect new home gift…

The craftswomen who produce these MAPATO woven baskets all learned to weave sisal from a young age, and practise this traditional African craft within a small collective in rural Kenya. The Basket Room visit and spend time with this talented group as often as they can, and have fostered a strong bond with the craftswomen and their inspiring chairlady, Madam Dorcas over the years. Before they started trading with this group, the weavers would make the long journey to Nairobi to sell their woven baskets at urban markets. These days, the women can work safely and more efficiently from home, working to complete large and regular orders from The Basket Room. 

Basket production takes place mainly during Kenya’s dry seasons. Most of these weavers are from farming communities who rely on growing crops – and therefore, steady rainfall - to feed, support and clothe their families, so when farming slows down, weaving work picks up the slack. Purchasing one of these Basket Room woven baskets helps them in our mission to empower African craftswomen and preserve this age-old craft. 

Medium 23cm Dia x 23cm H / 9" Dia x 9" H