Our baskets are made by a community of about 50 artisan families in the mountains of Guerrero, in Southern Mexico. In this region, natural palm leaves are abundant and this sustainable fiber has been used by these communities since pre-Hispanic times to make household items including baskets, used to harvest and store food. The ancestral hand-braiding technique used has been passed down over generations and can take each individual artisan years to master.
Palm weaving is a time-intensive process. First, the leaves are cut from the palm plants in a sustainable process since the plants are not killed, instead the leaves are simply removed. The leaves are then boiled and dried in the sun to achieve a white-ish color. Next, they are braided and then dyed by dipping them in hot water containing vegetable dyes. The dyed leaves are then sun-dried again. Finally, the strands of braided leaves are are sewn together into shape. Each basket takes approximately 3 days to make and every basket is made from a double layer of palm leaf to ensure strength and durability.