PRODUCT

Mukru whole and in strips for plaiting

Diamondback in Annatto color

The panels are made from a bamboo-like reed that grows very tall and abundant in several species, known locally as “mukru” (moo-kroo). Access to plastic bags, basins and buckets has accelerated the decline of basketry skills within households. It’s rare to meet a skilled weaver under 30.

As agribusinesses move into the area, they look for the wet lowlands where mukru grows to plant rice commercially (which necessitates herbicides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers). This land is washed by seasonal rains into the rivers. Keeping the savannas chemical-free (or not) impacts the whole riverine ecosystem: one of the most diverse fish habitats on earth. So monetizing wetlands via basketry does double-duty as a way to protect them from pollution.

Anaconda in Natural

The panel designs are based on traditional flat-walled basket forms, such as square baskets, flat baskets and mats. Currently we make 3 patterns: Diamondback, Deertrail and Anaconda.

The panels are made to fit 4 lines of IKEA kitchen doors, which come in about 14 sizes. Bjorket, a birch line, was recently discontinued after several decades (so there are a lot of them in people’s homes around the world) and the new line Torhamn, which has the same dimensions and style as Bjorket, but in a yellower wood (ash). http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50313490/

Deertrail in Tattoo Blue