Zulu Telephone Wire Baskets

We're so excited about our newest shipment we received. Zulu telephone wire baskets from South Africa. The brand, African Creative, was founded in 2004 in Cape Town, South Africa by a local musician seeking to link local artisans to global markets - based on fair trade principles, artistic collaboration, and entrepreneurial empowerment. Why we love this company goes to it's roots in environmental justice; it is a supporter of SANCCOB, a South African non-profit organization that works to conserve marine life, and in 2013 African Creative launched The Locked Horn Project to raise funds to combat rhinoceros poaching.

Now for some neat details about our Zulu telephone wire baskets. These are hand woven by South African members of the Zulu tribe in the KwaZulu-Natal region. The weavers combine old fashion skills with modern materials, leaving us with durable and practical works of art. Our wire baskets are woven from the rim down, using plastic coated electrical and telephone wires. The occasional bare metal wire woven in as a highlight. Along with the craftsmanship needed to produce intricate patterns, the artisans possess great strength in order to achieve the intricate weaves. While many of our African baskets are woven by women artisans, telephone wire baskets are commonly woven by men. Initially the baskets were handcrafted from discarded wire found on their job sites, what began as a way to pass time turned into a source of income, and what was once waste became beautiful pieces of art. Currently, several hundred artisans produce the baskets full time, filling the need for revenue to rural Zulu families. Enabling the weavers to remain in their hometowns rather than searching elsewhere for work. These baskets are often used for display though, they are rugged enough to withstand heavy use, and can easily be hand washed if needed.