Inspiration
Why We Set Up Artisanne
Artisanne is the brainchild of two sisters – London-based Elizabeth, and Emma who lived in Senegal for six years. It was set up in 2014 after they fell in love with traditional Senegalese baskets.
'I began by bringing baskets home as presents every time I visited Emma. People loved them so we were inspired to find ways to bring the work of these talented weavers to European homes.' Elizabeth de Vise
This involved Emma spending many long days travelling down remote dirt tracks to find the weavers and sharing bowls of curdled milk (a local speciality!) with them as she explained the project.
Thoughtfully Sourced
Artisanne Fair Trade baskets are skillfully handwoven in remote villages near Thiès in Senegal. And we deal directly with the weavers - with no middlemen involved whatsoever. This helps ensure the women earn a regular, fair and secure income for their products. We now work with over 75 women having started with 3. We visit the villages several times a year and have a strong relationship with the weavers. Communicating directly with the artisans during these visits enables everyone to discuss concerns and challenges, which is a much-valued priority by all involved and helps ensure our quality is maintained.
Top End Quality
Artisanne prides itself on the exceptionally high quality for which it is renowned. Each basket is checked in Senegal and quality controlled again when it arrives in the UK. We are always striving to perfect our designs, and take care to listen to our customers’ feedback; all our Alibaba baskets, for example, now come with beautiful leather handles that are braided by hand.
Traditionally Crafted
Artisanne baskets are a beautiful blend of traditional Senegalese weaving techniques, passed down from mother to daughter, and modern designs which combine to create household storage that’s stylish, practical and highly distinctive. The larger baskets take several days to create and are made using sustainable ndiorokh grasses and long strips of repurposed plastic traditionally used for making bazin mats similar to prayer mats.
Why We Set Up Artisanne
Artisanne was set up in 2014 by two sisters, Elizabeth, based in London, and Emma, who lived in Senegal for six years, after they fell in love with traditional Senegalese baskets.
'I began by bringing baskets home as presents every time I visited Emma. People loved them so we were inspired to find ways to bring the work of these talented weavers to European homes.'
Elizabeth de Vise This involved Emma spending many long days travelling down remote dirt tracks to find the weavers and sharing bowls of curdled milk (a local speciality!) with them as she explained the project.
Thoughtfully Sourced
Artisanne baskets are handwoven by highly skilled women in villages near Thiès in Senegal. At Artisanne we go directly to the weavers – there are no middlemen - and we now work with over 75 women having started with 3. The lack of middlemen helps ensure the women earn a regular, fair and secure income for their products. Elizabeth and Emma visit the villages several times a year and have a strong relationship with the weavers. Communicating directly with the artisans during these visits enables everyone to discuss concerns and challenges, which is a much-valued priority by all involved and helps ensure our quality is maintained.
Top End Quality
Artisanne prides itself on the exceptionally high quality for which it is renowned. Each basket is checked in Senegal and quality controlled again when it arrives in the UK. We are always striving to perfect our designs, and take care to listen to our customers’ feedback; all our Alibaba baskets, for example, now come with beautiful leather handles that are braided by hand.