who we are

WOVEN WORLDWIDE IS A SOCIALLY-CONSCIOUS HOME DECOR BRAND renowned for our high-quality, eco-credentialed, handcrafted basketry for homes and interior spaces.

where we are

Based between our flagship design studio in Toronto, Canada and our craft workshop in Accra, Ghana, we respond to the consumer demand for ethical products by producing handwoven baskets that are high-quality, eco-credential and also contribute to the greater social good.

ceo, founder

A Handmade Story

Hello, my name is Viola.

As a child, I was immersed in the world of retail and storytelling, a passion sparked by my parent's Ghanaian textile business in Toronto, Canada. For 18 years, I watched my mother engage with clients not just with products, but with rich narratives of craftsmanship that reflected deep cultural heritage and historical significance. She didn’t just sell fabrics; she shared the stories behind them—tales of craftsmanship, culture, and heritage—creating meaningful connections with her customers, taught me the power of connecting people to the origins of the goods they purchase. My father, a retail draftsman before the era of CAD software, also played a significant role in shaping my future career. I often found myself in the living room, tracing the floor plan technical designs, not fully understanding the intricate details but captivated by the precision involved.

These early experiences, though subtle at the time, laid the foundation for my future in retail, nurturing a deep appreciation for both the artistry of design, and the importance of storytelling in retail and culture. Together, these influences have been instrumental in shaping my journey, blending my father's technical expertise with my mother's passion for heritage and craftsmanship.

  • My Professional Experience

    I have over 19 years of invaluable experience working in customer-centric leadership roles in major North American and European retail companies. I have always held a passion for design, which I inherited from my father, and I was obsessed with technical drawings created by him, a retail draftsman.

    I now enjoy working outdoors with skilled textile & basket weavers, under the glorious African sun, or from my office in Toronto, Canada with coconut ice cream close by. These parallel life experiences have connected in such a consistent and beautiful way.

  • THE GENESIS

    In 2017, the company was founded during a personal trip to Ghana. I witnessed my reintroduction to elements of Ghana's time-honored traditions, such as Shea, textile, and basketry production, all at the hands of skilled women Artisans.

    Despite language barriers and unfamiliar surroundings, I felt centred and at home while immersed in these environments. As I developed relationships with these women, they began to share their economic and social opportunities with me, and to be honest, I didn't have the answers, so I simply listened. Their stories provoked me to empathize and also made me acutely aware of the context and my own privilege.

  • WHEN WE WERE WOVEN

    As time passed, I found myself being stitched back together in places I didn't realize needed repair, such as identity, culture, and purpose. Each experience with these women was buoyed by teachings about Ghanaian craftsmanship, femininity, and our survival. Looking back, these women and I exchanged symbolic knowledge and cultural practices.

  • NOW HERE WE ARE

    Although building this business wasn't intentional, it was written for my path. Now, by God's grace,  my team and I continue to create a brand that strives to make an impact on the lives of our first customer; the Artisan. For years—I developed skills, practiced my craft, and committed myself to build Woven Worldwide and the micro-businesses of the women Artisans that I serve. In unspoken ways, they each teach me about femininity, grace, and sustainability. Our connection is beyond the product and it's been a journey that I would embark upon again and again if given the chance.

Our Devotions: Handcrafted Baskets with Meaning and Legacy

We echo the language of creation, through transforming raw materials into objects of eternal beauty, function, and legacy by creating time-honoured basketry that reflects the divine principles of sustainability and reverence for the origins of all things.

In partnership, we create baskets with artisans who are more than Makers, they are the Keepers of Legacy, that carry the profound story of the harvest.

We serve as a bridge between cultures, uniting people across continents through basketry that are as rich in dignified impact as they are in design.

  • Crafted for Permanence: Artisan-Made Baskets for Lasting Elegance

    In a world driven by fast fashion and passing trends, Woven Worldwide has found the balance between processes that enable an unpretentious, democratic luxury - one that seeks to slow the fashion cycle, a luxury that focuses on season less design, origin craftsmanship and works to increase the integrity of our home décor choices and the skilled people who craft them - by working directly and closely with inter-generational, artisan families. There is no middleman supplier. We believe that true luxury lies in the details, in the quiet mastery of a craft perfected over centuries.

    At Woven Worldwide, our baskets stand as quiet reminders of permanence and grace. Its beauty lies not only in its form but in the traditions that shaped it, offering a quiet yet powerful reminder that the most meaningful things in life are often the ones that take the most time and care to create.

  • Local Partnerships

    In the towns across Ghana where our artisans reside, weaving is not just a livelihood—it is a means of preserving identity, culture, and survival.

    Through partnership, our business model has provides functional employment to 36  artisan families, fostering and guaranteeing food security, access to healthcare, a sense of well-being, and post-secondary education to their dependents. These families can support their extended families, invest in their futures, and pass on their invaluable skills to the next generation if they so choose. This is the true beauty of access: it is not only about economic freedom but about sustaining the essence of a wonderful heritage.

    Each basket sold is a ripple in this broader ecosystem of empowerment. It is a symbol of resilience, of artisans whose talents may have otherwise gone unnoticed, and of the transformative power of recognizing and valuing human creativity. Every time you hold one of our baskets, you are engaging 2-4 days of an artisans work life, and legacy.

  • Cultural Preservation and Edification

    Our commitment to education and skill-sharing reinforces edification. We provide workshops and training sessions that allow artisan families to conserve and elevate time-honored traditions, while also offering resources and training to help them innovate and expand.

    Our training program standardizes production in the informal market, by providing artisan leaders with nccesary tools. By providing these essentials, we encourage artisans to uphold high standards and avoid the use of inferior materials in producing commercial products. By supporting our artisan partners, we contribute to a circle of innovation and opportunity that benefits the individual, the community, and the world at large.

Our Sales Channels

  • Business To Business

    We welcome retailers from around the world to #WeaveWithUs. Wholesale orders can be ordered directly through our website by completing the message box below or via our Wholesale Partner Faire. We want to make sure that Woven Worldwide is a good fit for the companies we work with and that our products are represented well. Discover new products while benefiting from perks that reduce the risk of purchasing wholesale while also contributing to the larger social good.

  • Design Trade Program

    We invite architects, set designers, interior designers, realtors and other design professionals to #WeaveWithUs and create high-quality products for both residential and commercial properties.

Press

Media

  • Press

    Would you like to write something about Woven Worldwide? Great, we love to hear it. Please reach out first so we can explain the context in which we work, the strength of our team's cultural plurality & our vision for 2023!

  • Basketry Photos

    A good story needs a good picture. Once you agree to our terms, you’ll be automatically redirected to a Google Drive folder of image assets from Woven Worldwide.

  • Contributions, Podcasts

    Woven Worldwide founder, Viola Labi is known for her views on fashion, retail and social impact. She also shares her evolving input on issues impacting artisan communities in Ghana through her networks.

Kind Words From Our Customers

" Incredibly impressed with the quality and beauty of these baskets. Love the stacking options and sizing. The fulfillment was quick and arrived quickly. Our customers loved these and we will be re-ordering shortly. "

Alina (WKND)

" Perfection! The care and attention that has gone into every item I've ordered is unparalleled. These are some of the most beautiful products I've seen. "

Jennifer - Osisi Boutique

Connect With Us

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More Information About Woven Worldwide To Explore

  • High-Quality Products

    Our team and artisan partners were hand picked for their knowledge of materials, process, and love of design. We are always happy to share our extensive knowledge and understanding of our craft, whether you are browsing our website or visiting one of our stockists.

  • Community Approach

    We have direct relationships with fourth-generation basket weaving families that partner with us four days a week, allowing both parents to be present in the home to sustain communities.

  • Corporate Social Responsibility

    Our basket weaving training standardizes production in an informal market while also providing artisan leaders with tools, resources, and innovative methods to preserve and improve heritage techniques.

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