Behind the basket

All of our baskets are fair trade and handmade in Bolgatanga, West Africa. Bolgatanga is the largest town in the Upper East Ghana and very close to the edge of the Sahara Desert.

For many generations, weaving has been a traditional skill of the people in Bolga. Basket weaving has helped bring much needed income to the villages surrounding Bolgatanga. Weaving is a traditional skill, which has been handed down from generation to generation. The baskets are made from kinkahe or elephant grass which grows in swamps and along rivers across Ghana, and is favoured by elephants, hence the name.

Our baskets are finessed with leather handles. The leather comes from local goats that have lived a free life. All of the meat is sold at local markets. We utilize as much of every skin as possible; scraps are reserved for making handles for smaller baskets or jewellery.

For more Behind the Kind footage go to our Instagram account.