A TRADITION OF BASKET WEAVING IN GHANA
Starting from a small woven circle, Ghanaian basket weavers work their way out from a central point to reveal beautiful, distinctive Bolga baskets. Sometimes called “market baskets,” Bolga baskets are woven from veta vera, or elephant grass. While the grass is grown primarily in southern Ghana, weavers in the northern region of Bolgatanga excel at transforming the tough grass fiber into the iconic baskets. The people from the region rely on the sale of handcrafted items to supplement their income, and their craftsmanship is demonstrated by the high quality of these artfully woven baskets.
The weaving of Bolga baskets in Ghana has been a traditional skill for many generations, and is often a communal process. The Bolga baskets sold by Swahili Modern are fair trade and a reliable source of income for weavers and their families. Just as the baskets begin as a small circle and expand, so does the impact of purchasing fair trade items that directly benefit, support and empower the artisans who create them.
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$14.00
The Leakey Collection dedicates proceeds from each Beads for Clean Water Zulugrass strand to the “Clean Water for Every Home” project; the goal - put a water dispensing unit, locally called a “leak-tin” in every Maasai home in the area. Clean water for drinking and washing helps stop the spread of life threatening disease and illness. Each strand is packaged on a special tag--explaining how the proceeds will be allocated--and can be worn wrapped 3-4 times around your wrist or ankle or even long as a necklace.
Zulugrass 26" single strands are made from sustainable, natural grass beads. The richly hued grass is dyed with colorfast, low-impact dyes and interspersed with hand-blown Czech glass. Due to the handmade nature of this item, slight variation is expected. Zulugrass is as creative as the individual who wears it!
$58.00
Handcrafted from finely woven organic cotton, these broad scarves are dyed with gray blue stars and finished with crocheted baubles.
Each incredibly soft and translucent scarf is made using traditional bogolan fabric that has been tie-dyed with indigo and natural dyes. The scarves are 100% organic cotton and made by a women's cooperative recognized for its work by UNESCO.
Measures 68"L x 20"W. Due to the handmade nature of this item, slight variation is expected.
About the Artisans:
The Cooperative Djiguiyaso (House of Hope) represents a group effort between more than 100 talented craftswomen in Mali. This Bamako-based cooperative uses traditional bogolan tie-dyed with indigo and makes use of its artisans' skills in crochet, weaving, spinning, cutting, and sewing. All products are made from 100% organic cotton. In 2010, the cooperative was recognised for its work by UNESCO.
$12.00
Save 10% when you buy 3-5 spices or sauces with code SPICE3 at checkout.
Save 15% when you buy 6+ spices or sauces with code SPICE6 at checkout.
South Africa's beloved sosaties are kebabs of skewered meat, flavored with a sweet and tangy sauce. With mild curry flavor backed with peach and apricot, Safari BBQ sauce is delicious as a table sauce with grilled lamb, pork, chicken, corn or vegetable skewers.
Carefully crafted in small batches, Ukuva iAfrica sauces are presented in glass bottles, adorned with colorful beadwork and a miniature keepsake charm.
Size: 8.12 oz. (240ml)
For authentic African cooking ideas, don't miss Uvuka's collection of recipes!
Producer Profile:
These sauces and spices were developed over the course of a decade by a culinary-minded traveler who recorded his experiences with food in Africa. Today, Ukuva iAfrica sense of Africa in ixi-Xhosa) works with Turqle Trading in South Africa to produce Fair Trade spices and sauces of exceptional quality. Turqle is a member of the World Fair Trade Organization, and they ensure that producers maintain fair labour and wage practices. 2.5% of the export price of Ukuva products goes to the Fair Trade Trust for education for the employees. The wire and beadwork adornment for each bottle is made by hand at Cape Mental Health Society.
$16.00
Featured in Anthropologie, these African wine stoppers add safari style to your wine routine. The animals are cast from zinc and electroplated with an antique brass finish. Each sits atop a standard sized cork and measures 1.75"T x 1.25"L. Due to the handcrafted nature of this item, slight variation may occur.
The stoppers come to us from an eco-friendly, brass casting company in Cape Town known its community outreach and original products.
About the Artisans:
Roots of Creation is a South African company known for their innovate brass and metal products. They have been in the casting business for over 20 years, during which time they have built a reputation for high-quality and original product design.
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$18.00
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Add a touch of natural elegance to your table this season with this set of simple spice dishes, hand carved from wild olive wood by Kamba carvers in Kenya.
Sold as a set of two. Each measures 3"L x 3.25"W x 0.25"T. Due to the handcrafted nature of this item, each will vary slightly. Hand wash; treat with a light coat of olive oil.
About the Artisans:
We work with representatives of Kamba artists in Kenya to obtain these hand-carved works of beauty derived from the olive wood tree. The artisans benefit greatly from the sale of olive wood products, with marked improvements being seen for the individual, their families, the community. The olive wood tree is sacred to Kenyans and appreciated worldwide for its beautiful grain patterns and durability.
$22.00
Let someone know you are thinking of them with this unique set of four handmade cards from Kenya, utilizing recycled metal and handmade recycled paper to craft one-of-a-kind sentiments.
All cards come with an envelope and are blank inside. Cards measure 4" x 6". Due to the handmade nature of the cards, designs will vary.
Each set comes with two of each style of card.
About the Artisans:
Jarida Crafts is a social enterprise that employs a variety of teenage individuals, including drop-outs, young mothers, and street youth, to create handcrafted recycled note cards. While their circumstances might vary they all have one thing in common: creativity and their desire to share their art with others.
$22.00
A card for every occasion, celebrate with this unique set of four handmade cards from Kenya, utilizing recycled metal and handmade recycled paper to craft one-of-a-kind sentiments.
All cards come with an envelope and are blank inside. Cards measure 4" x 6". Due to the handmade nature of the cards, designs will vary.
Each set comes with one of each four styles.
About the Artisans:
Jarida Crafts is a social enterprise that employs a variety of teenage individuals, including drop-outs, young mothers, and street youth, to create handcrafted recycled note cards. While their circumstances might vary they all have one thing in common: creativity and their desire to share their art with others.
$62.00
These large, handcrafted mudcloth pillows are made in Mali using locally grown, hand-dyed cotton. The vivid white pattern is waxed by hand.
The pillows include an insert, and measure 20" x 20". Designs may vary slightly.
About the Artisans:
Mali Chic is a collaboration of 195 African artisans that sells its products through a boutique in Bamako and through international exports. Artisans work from home, in their own workshops or on-site at Mali Chic, and child labor is never used. Mali Chic provides artisans with 50% advances on all orders and pay a fair price for their products.
$98.00
Ethiopian cotton woven into two wide panels and hand-stitched with a center seam creates this gabi body shawl in a rich, earthy color. Worn traditionally in pure white for religious services, a gabi can serve in many ways, as apparel, throw, tablecloth or baby carrier.
Measures 105"L x 55"W. Due to the handcrafted nature of this item, size may vary slightly.
Care instructions: Hand wash with mild soap. Hang dry.
About the Artisans:
The Sammy Ethiopia brand links the artisan skills of one of Africa's most ancient civilizations with American and European fashion know-how. The result is unique contemporary style that has already gathered fans from New York to Tokyo. A wealth of craft skills known in Ethiopia for thousands of years are applied to a style-forward range of fashion and home accessories to suit current global tastes. Collaborating with community organizations and cooperatives, Sammy Ethiopia creates employment to some of the world's most marginalized people in and around Addis Ababa.
$38.00
Marula Oil is a fast-absorbing facial oil that has been treasured for centuries by African women for its restorative benefits. It provides long-lasting hydration and soothes redness and irritation, leaving skin glowing with a matte finish.
With its extremely high concentration of Omega 6, 9 and other antioxidants, it fights free-radicals that cause premature skin aging. The oil-rich kernels from East African are wild-harvested, hand-selected, manually cold pressed, then combined with a 1% essential oil fragrance blend, to ensure the highest quality product.
The 30 ml bottle size, with a special oil dispenser, also meets travel requirements. Included in the box is an insert outlining uses and benefits.
About the Artisans:
In 2001, a terrible drought persisted for several years and brought devastation to the pasture lands. The livelihood of the Maasai disappeared as their cattle died. The men had to drive the few remaining cattle hundreds of miles away in search for better grazing while the women looked desperately for ways to feed, clothe, and educate their children and obtain medical supplies. Philip and Katy Leakey, founders of The Leakey Collection who live among the Maasai in East Africa, wanted to provide their neighbors with work opportunities. They came up with an imaginative idea to utilize the excellent beading abilities of the Maasai women by using a readily available, sustainable resource- GRASS- as the primary element.
Soon the Leakeys discovered that for centuries, African women had revered the restorative benefits of Marula oil and decided to offer it to the world also. After the Marula fruit is collected under the wild stands of trees, the nuts are removed from the fruit by hand. The nuts are slowly sun-dried, naturally concentrating the oil prior to extraction. The hard outer shells are individually split by hand; each kernel is removed and inspected for freshness, discarding any of poor quality. The oil-rich ivory colored kernels are pressed through The Leakey Collection's unique, proprietary cold-pressing system, ensuring the highest quality product. Now, even the men have joined in the entrepreneurial opportunities.