JIO: Handwoven Pink, Blue & Black Wool Tote Bag

JIO is a stunning Pink, Blue & Black basket : a truly Kenyan work of colour and craft. This ethical basket bag is a genuine one-off: made once and sold once. Like what you see? Then snap JIO up now because when it’s gone, it’s gone! This yarn basket bag was woven by a member of Kenya’s famous Kamba tribe, working within a cooperative. These Kamba artisans design each basket bag themselves, choosing patterns and colourways of their own preference. Baskets take up to four days to weave, and basketry is often fitted in around agricultural duties, household chores, childcare and social events. Durable and totally unique, these basket bags are made from wool from second hand jumpers, woven around local sisal grass. The weavers regularly visit the ‘gikombas’ (clothes markets) to select and purchase colourful woollen jumpers, which are washed and unravelled at home into separate balls of coloured wool – and then woven. The bags are finished in a local leather works, being fitted supple cow hide straps for carrying. Support the revival of this creative art when you purchase one of our Nifty Knit Basket Bags: in doing so you help us to support these weavers. Basket weaving has become a flexible, supplementary source of additional income for the weavers, whose main earnings come from farming – a line of work that’s largely dependent on rainfall and therefore vulnerable to drought. Each woven basket is supplied with some information about the weaving cooperative who made it, and you can meet the weavers HERE. Material: SISAL & RECYCLED WOOL (NATURAL & SYNTHETIC) LEATHER STRAPS Dimensions: 39 cm Bottom Dia x 30cm H / 15" Bottom Dia x 12" H (width is measured at the widest part of the bag) Strap Length: 29cm / 11.5" approx Please note, as this is a handmade product, dimensions & colour may vary from those shown in the photographs. HANDMADE IN KENYA