The Asanka Storage Basket is a low, wide vessel crafted for open, accessible storage. The walls rise in an outward fan, giving the basket a generous mouth, adding a natural elegance to any space, making it the perfect addition to your home or indoor environment. Handcrafted from elephant grass, each basket carries the subtle variations in tone and weave that come from human hands and natural, tactile materials. With its ability to elevate both form and function, the Asanka Storage Basket serves as a reminder that beauty can be found in the most practical of objects.
This basket draws its form from the Asanka—an earthenware bowl with ridged interior walls used with a wooden pestle (tapoli) to grind peppers, tomatoes, and spices. This everyday object, with its fanned shape and utility, became the muse for Woven Worldwide’s design team. Through this basket, we pay tribute to the resourcefulness that defines African craftsmanship.
Elephant grass is renewable, durable and grows tall along the banks of streams of living water. These steady flows nourish the earth, helping the grass develop strength and flexibility. Harvested by hand in early morning, while the stalks still hold moisture, it is stripped of its rough outer husk to reveal a smooth, pliable core prepared to bend without breaking.
Over time, the grass matures in colour—from fine, pistachio green deepening into a warm wheat. It’s a raw material that speaks not only through colour, but through climate, timing, and touch. This rain-fed transformation, shaped by the sun and time, gives each reed its distinct character. We call it elephant grass, but it is more than a raw material, it is a harvest gathered patiently by hand, season after season.
The Asanka Storage Basket begins in the fields, where elephant grass is harvested under the same sun that ripens millet and shea trees. Once harvested, farmers cut elephant grass stalks by hand, bundle them, and carry them from the fields to the house on the farm to dry in the shade. Once purchased by our weaving partners, the grass is left to dry on woven mats under the unrelenting sun.
With our designs in hand, they prepare the material for the work ahead, splitting, rolling, and re-twisting each stalk for strength. During the weaving process, twisted reeds are submerged into clean water to soften, and then crafted into form by hand, using a single-weave method, with fingers toughened by repetition. The basket grows row by row, crafted outward and upward through hours of focused, deliberate work, until the wide mouth takes shape, guided by the design pattern we’ve provided. This is where every basket begins, not in our design studio, but in the field. This is beauty crafted, not in a rush, but by the elements.
The Asanka Storage Basket is more than just storage. It speaks to the way objects can be both useful and quietly beautiful. Perfect for organizing your living spaces or interior environments, the Asanka Storage Basket transcends its utilitarian function. In your home, it might hold towels, extra bedding, or the daily things that collect in a corner. Its reinforced, single-weave handles offer practical functionality, making it easy to move and adapt to any room in your home.
The Asanka Storage Basket is a visual and tactile reminder of the power of stewardship. It embodies a respect for the resources given to us, and an appreciation for the skill and wisdom that have been passed down through generations. For those who value purposeful living, this basket serves as a reminder of how a humble reed can be transformed into a thing of beauty. Each basket is crafted by artisans who receive 10% above fair trade wages and support their communities with dignity. The ripple effect of your choice extends far beyond the basket itself, creating opportunities for future generations to continue this timeless craft.
Dimensions (Inches)
12" W x 12" H x 24" D
Shop this inspired looks thoughtfully selected for permanence, curated for you in The Entrance Hallway,The Den and The Living Room.
Handcrafted by Titan basket weaving artisans in Ghana, brought to you by a woman-owned, small business in Toronto, Canada.
Your Woven Worldwide item will maintain its handcrafted qualities if it is not directly exposed to damp or wet environments. Repeated contact with water will cause the appearance of the reed in the woven product (whether it is in its authentic reed or pigmented) to experience discolouration. Prolonged pressure from heavy objects will cause the shape of the product to be distorted. It is best to limit the exposure of such elements to preserve the authentic look and feel of your product.
When using cosmetics, perfumes or any alcohol-based solutions such as hand sanitizers, please take time to be sure that they are dry on your skin before engaging with Woven Worldwide products.
There are sometimes tone variations in the colour of the reed and this is a natural feature due to when the grass was harvested. The basket's new home will most likely be in a climate other than the one in which it was made. The reed's tri-tone nature may appear in tones ranging from pale green to mustard to raw honey, which may age as it oxidizes in it's new home. This is also determined by the date the grass was harvested. This is a normal maturation process for straw; it is not a flaw or blemish.
For any further questions, we invite you to send us an email, where our team will be delighted to assist you with your questions.
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. If you would like more information, please connect with us information about your shop.
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High-quality Craftsmanship
Our team and artisan partners were handpicked for their understanding of materials, process and passion for design. Whether you are browsing our site or visiting one of our stockists, we are always willing to share our deep knowledge and understanding of our craft
Unique, Raw Materials
Due to the natural characteristics of elephant grass, each woven basket may have a slight variation in reed colour. When the grass was harvested, woven, and how long it was allowed to dry in the sun determine this. The natural reed gradient ranges from pale green to beige to mustard yellow. This gradient is a beautiful natural feature that should be admired.
Value Chain
We are dedicated to developing our products in the most environmentally friendly manner possible. We collaborate with Lizzy, a matriarch weaver and farmer who harvests elephant grass from living sources that can be replenished at the same rate as they are depleted.
Sustainable Design
Designed for everyday use with functional dignity and durability. We purposefully design our pieces to be timeless. We believe in long-lasting items that are both physically and aesthetically pleasing, and we design products that are as timeless as they are stylish.
handcrafted storage baskets
General Enquiries
Throughout the year, Woven Worldwide introduces new product lines. Each product is designed and crafted with eternal durability in mind, and is produced in small batches.
Due to the natural characteristics of elephant grass, each woven basket may have a slight variation in reed colour. This is determined by when the grass was harvested, woven, and how long it dried in the sun. The natural reed gradient ranges from pale green to beige to mustard yellow. This gradient is a beautiful natural feature that should be admired.
Yes we do! Not sure what to get that special someone? No problem. Send them an e-gift card. Please support your small, local businesses in these uncertain times by purchasing a eGift card to spend at a later date.
Yes, we offer worldwide express shipping on all products. Delivery time will be shared when you receive acknowledgment of your order.
Due to increased shipping costs, we are consolidating orders into a shipping container to keep prices competitive. Preorders are now open to secure your baskets in advance!
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