NEW! Irara Baskets have arrived

The Irala Basket, which is sold exclusively at the online store, has arrived. A nice and convenient irala basket that can be used to decorate like art or put small items in it.

This time, we will introduce the background behind the making of the Irala basket and the thoughts of the creator.

A functional basket born in the land of Zambia

Irala baskets are in high demand around the world as decoration goods. Actually, this basket is a basket for women in a small village in Zambia to carry crops on their heads. It is still used for agricultural work, such as transporting grains such as corn and sorting them.

So what made the baskets used in small African villages so popular around the world?

Tonga Craft Center

Tonga, in the south of Zambia, was originally world-famous for its advanced basket technology. Artists and craftsmen around the world are influenced by its techniques.

In the 1980s, the Danish government established the "Tonga Craft Center" in the village of Binga, Zimbabwe. This craft center was created to preserve traditional crafts (baskets, drums, carvings, pottery, beadwork) for future generations and to protect the human rights of women. The beautifully handcrafted baskets with unique patterns that you will never forget once you see them are now loved all over the world, and thousands of baskets are exported every year.

Women who are strong and confident

As Tonga has a climate prone to drought and poverty, the creation of baskets and crafts supports the human rights, livelihoods and families of Tongan women.

This basket is filled with the thoughts of the African women who made it, "the joy of being a woman and working". When you pick up the baskets, you will be amazed by their originality and the precision and density of the weaving, as if they were made by machine.

It is a warm product that fits easily into modern, European, and traditional Japanese lifestyles. Please enjoy it in various ways such as display and accessory case.