Iringa Basket are handwoven in Tanzania, East Africa. Woven from Milulu grass, a reed-like swamp grass, iringa baskets are an indispensable utility item of Tanzania’s Hehe people. The Iringa region has a long history of basket weaving, making them a part of the rich history of the Hehe people. Each artisan is able to work from the comfort of their own home and community. The fair payment they receive will not be reduced by traveling expenses, childcare costs or haggled prices. Apart from providing a fair income, the artisan group that makes these baskets also provides business training, design advice, and skills workshops to its artisans. Each basket is carefully handwoven by a female artisan over the course of seven days. First, the Milulu grass must be harvested along certain rivers in Tanzania’s southern highlands. This often requires long walks to collect the grass, then carry it back to the artisan’s local village. After it has been harvested, it must be dried in the sun to prepare it for weaving. When the Milulu grass is properly dried, an artisan weaves the basket by hand, carefully intertwining the traditional ochre patterns.

Sizing: Sizes are done before we list the items but each design is unique and will vary by a couple of centimeters or so per basket. There is roughly a 10% variable on sizing.

Size: 28x28cm