Variation of Handwoven Basket Bags and How to Care

 

A basket is one of the folk art that has been manufactured around the world. Its features like high durability, lightness, and flexibility are perfectly fit for carrying. Nowadays, we still use a basket for carrying, but sometimes we choose it as a fashion item. A basket bag's refreshing look perfectly fits for summery weather.

 

Focusing on handwoven basket bags, let's discover how to select and care a basket bag to use for a long time.

 

 

Variations of materials for basket bags

 

Many basket bags use natural plants for the material. Each plant has different characteristics which influence the look and usability of a basket bag.

 

 

Reed basket bags

 

Water plants usually grow up straight and have sturdy stems. Reed is also the one and is a useful material for basket bags.

 

 

REED HANDBAG WITH LEATHER HANDLES / CANDRIA TOMMASO

 

 

The Italian bag brand, CANDRIA TOMMASO's handbag is made of reed and cow leather. As if ropes are finely woven, the firm, light reed is woven by hands. The handbag obtains a beautiful cylindrical shape by using a wooden mold.

 

 

 

 

 

There is a magnet button for the opening and lining fabric for inside. Reed hardly changes its shape and becomes useful for many years. 

 

 

REED BASKET BAG S NAVY / TONINO ABEL

 

REED BASKET BAG M BEIGE / TONINO ABEL

 

 

The Portuguese bag brand, TONINO ABEL produces bags with reed as well. It weaves reed with colorful fabrics and makes the bag unique. The handles are also made of reed that makes the bag look special. 

 

The reed-woven bags keep their shapes well, and you can find high skills of handweaving on those bags.

 

 

Elephant grass basket bags

 

HANDBAG BASKET 005 / MUUN

 

 

Here is a MUUN's handbag made of Elephant grass, i.e., Napier grass. Elephant grass is a kind of water plants native to the African grasslands. It is known that the stem of Elephant grass is so firm and grows over 5m/16 ft high. 

 

 

 

SHOULDER BAG BASKET 006 / MUUN

 

 

Africa is also the area where the technique of detailed hand-weaving has been developed. MUUN's bags are hand-woven and hand-dyed in a small village, then sent to Paris to combine the products with fabric and other sources. Similar to reed, Elephant grass also has a resiliency to keep its shape.

 

 

Akebia basket bags

 

Climbing plants, which have surprising flexibility, are also useful for the materials of basket bags. Especially, Akebia grew in Japanese mountains, and Rattan from East Asian countries have been used for weaving products.   

 

 

SMALL-SIZED AKEBIA BASKET BAG / MIYAMOTO KOUGEI

 

 

MIYAMOTO KOUGEI manufactures Akebia basket bags since 1920 in Aomori Prefecture, the Northern part of Japan. In the area, people weave bags and other products during the off-season of agriculture; Aomori snows a lot in winter. All bags are handmade, which we can recognize the characteristics of Akebia.

 

 

AKEBIA BASKET BAG TRAPEZOID / MIYAMOTO KOUGEI

 

 

Akebia usually has thick and elastic vines. After being collected, the vine will be sun-dried for about a week and then soaked in water for several days before being woven. As a result of the careful preparation for weaving, Akebia basket bags gain high durability. 

 

 

 

Raffia basket bags

 

Raffia is another material that is widely used for basket bags. Raffia from Madagascar is known for the high flexibility that enables fine weaving, and the beauty of its look when it becomes a basket bag.

 

 

BUCKET RAFFIA BAG / Sans Arcidet

 

 

HORIZONTALLY STRIPED RAFFIA BAG / Sans Arcidet

 

 

The French bag brand, Sans Arcidet makes various basket bags using raffia from Majunga, the west seacoast of Madagascar. The brand also adds metals, leather, and cotton for basket bags and makes unique products.

 

All products are handmade by more than 400 artisans. It is fun to select colorful basket bags that have different shapes. 

 

 

 

CARILLO NATURAL RAFFIA BAG / HELEN KAMINSKI

 

LOTO NATURAL RAFFIA SHOULDER BAG / HELEN KAMINKI

 

 

The Australian bag/hat brand, HELEN KAMINSKI is well-known for sophisticated products using raffia. The brand also uses the material from Madagascar. The products are finely hand-knitted/crochet where you notice the remarkable abilities of handcraft. 

 

Hand-knitted raffia basket bags are relatively lightweight and easy-to-carry. The shape is flexible depends on what you put inside. You shall find the distinction between raffia and other materials by using the basket bags.

 

 

What to know about natural basket bags

 

Basket bags which are made of natural materials, and especially which are handmade, have different features from the ones made of artificial materials. Understanding the traits and care is important to use the products for a long time.

 

 

Finish and loose weaving

 

The materials of basket bags are cut to the appropriate length. So sometimes you find the edge of materials on the surface.

 

 

An example of the edge

 

 

Since the basket bags are tightly woven, you do not worry about it being loosened even if you find the edge on the surface. But be careful not to get caught by the edge. We recommend using a cloth bag that can be placed inside your basket bag. ZUTTO has various sized inner bags for basket bags. 

 

 

>> Click here to see more about ZUTTO's inner bags.

 

 

 

An example of connecting parts by handwoven vines

 

MIYAMOTO KOUGEI's Akebia bags are all handwoven and connecting parts by the other vines. As you keep using the bag, sometimes the connection gets loose. For the products of MIYAMOTO KOUGEI, we take repair orders. Contact our customer support for more details.

 

ZUTTO Customer Support:

support@zutto.co.jp（Weekdays 10:00-16:00 in Japan time）

 

 

Daily care for natural basket bags

 

 

We recommend wiping basket bags for daily care. Use a soft dry cloth for cleaning the surface.

With fine woven, basket bags usually have dust inside the braids. Carefully wipe the surface, handles, and small parts. If the materials are thick, use a clothes brush and brush your bag gently. We recommend using a brush with natural bristle.

 

 

 

Storing basket bags

 

Humidity would be the great enemy for basket bags. When they get wet, the bags might have mold or moth, and loosen braids. So try not to use on a rainy day or not to store in the humid place.

 

 

Choose a breathable, dark place for storage. Covering a basket bag with a cotton/linen cloth is a good idea for keeping it away from humidity.

 

 

 

The best way to keep basket bags clean

 

 

 

The best way to keep basket bags clean is using the product regularly. By touching and opening the bags, the products gain refreshing air and keep away from humidity or dust. Moreover, you can experience and understand more about the characteristics of natural materials and high skills of handweaving. 

 

 

 

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