- Height: approximately 3"
- Diameter: approximately 8"
- Color and Pattern: swimming pool swirl
- Country of Origin: South Africa
This striking Zulu telephone wire basket combines traditional skills with modern materials. It is approximately 3" deep by 8" in diameter with rigid walls, and has a navy, sky blue, turquoise, and royal blue swirl pattern with copper wire accent. This beautiful basket is from South Africa. It can be cleaned in warm, soapy water.
Zulu wire baskets, called mbenge in their homeland, are made in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Zulu basket weavers have long been recognized as among the most skilled in the world, traditionally making watertight pot baskets, as well as bowls and herb jars, from palm fronds and wild grasses. At some point Zulu men began experimenting with weaving baskets from scrap telephone wire, and a new cottage industry was born. Recycled wire is no longer often used, because there simply isn't enough high quality scrap wire to fill the demand for the baskets. Instead, the weavers who supply us use custom manufactured lead-free wire, resulting in higher quality baskets and fewer hazards for the weavers. What began as a hobby now provides full time employment to about 800 weavers.
About the brand: Baskets of Africa, a Fair Trade Federation member, was founded in 2002 in New Mexico. It is dedicated to sourcing a wide range of high quality baskets from throughout Africa, while adhering to fair trade principles.
