From the seed to you

Most things you buy have a story that starts in a factory. Ours starts in a forest.  The raffia palm grows wild in the rainforests of north-western Madagascar. The journey from there to your hands involves about a dozen steps — all done by people, none done by machines. These six films show that journey as it actually happens: the harvest, the drying, the dyeing, the weaving, the finishing. If you’ve ever wondered what ‘handmade’ really looks like, this is it.

The raffia palm — In the rainforests of north-western Madagascar, the Raphia farinifera palm can grow to extraordinary sizes. The harvest is done by hand, one leaflet at a time.

Drying and processing — Freshly cut raffia needs to dry before it can be worked. This step takes patience. The fibre is then stripped into the thin strands used for weaving.

Natural dyeing — Some of our colours are obtained using plant-based dyes. The raffia is soaked, dried, and soaked again until the colour takes hold.

The weaving begins — Each piece starts as a handful of fibres. The artisan builds the form stitch by stitch, following the pattern from memory as much as from instruction.

Finishing by hand — Handles are attached, edges are secured, and each piece is checked before it is packed. No part of this is done by machine.

Ready for you — The finished piece is packed at the workshop and sent directly from Madagascar to your address. Two to three weeks from weaving to your hands.