Hit the Farmer’s Market this Summer With a Handwoven Ghana Market Basket

July 15, 2014

Nothing says summer like fresh fruits and vegetables from the farmer’s market, and now you can shop for produce in style with one of our Ghana Market Bolgatanga baskets, which are handwoven from native African grasses into a colorful and unique design. These handmade baskets are fair-trade items, which means each time we sell a Ghana market basket at our store, a percentage of the proceeds goes towards providing healthcare, community buildings and school fees for the basket weavers and their families.

African market baskets are becoming more and more popular among people of all ages, and they are perfect for a variety of uses, including shopping, picnics, magazine storage and home décor. The baskets are made using grass straw harvested from the tops of the stalk, which is then twisted tightly and collected into bunches to be dyed different colors. The weavers choose the straw carefully to ensure the durability of the baskets, and then begin weaving, starting with the base and working up the sides until the basket is complete.

There are several different options to choose from when purchasing a Ghana market basket, and each basket is unique in color combination and pattern. The largest basket available at our store is the oval tote, which measures about 7” wide and 17” long, followed by the round basket, which ranges from 14” to 16” in diameter, and the mini basket, which measures approximately 8” to 9” in diameter. The baskets are handmade by skilled weavers in the Bolgatanga region of Ghana, which is known colloquially as Bolga.

By weaving these traditional African baskets, the weavers of Ghana are helping to support their families and preserve their cultural heritage, and by offering these fair-trade baskets for sale at our store and online, we can help ensure that the weavers are fairly compensated for their skilled work. In turn, when you purchase a handwoven Ghana market basket from The Sheepherder, you are not only buying a unique and wonderful product, you are also helping the basket weavers of Africa provide financial support for their families and continue this great work.

Not only are Ghana market baskets beautiful and unique in design, they are also extremely functional and environmentally friendly. By toting one of these handwoven baskets back and forth to the store or farmer’s market, you can avoid using toxic plastic bags, which contribute to pollution and can even kill wildlife and marine life. The baskets are also gentle enough to carry fragile groceries like eggs and fresh fruit, as well as seedlings for the garden, so check out our website and get your own Ghana market basket today!