Baskets & Weaving covers baskets, trays, boxes, mats, plant hangers, bags and other pieces woven, coiled or knotted from jute, bamboo, cane, hogla, kash grass, palm leaf and murta cane (shital pati). The general rules for names, honest claims and the reply format are in the JADUZ listing guide; this page covers what is specific to woven pieces.
What to measure and how to state it
Woven pieces flex, so measure on a flat surface without squeezing. Give inches first and centimetres in brackets.
- Round baskets: the diameter across the top, the height, and the base diameter if the sides slope. Say whether the figures are inside or outside; for storage, the inside size is what buyers need.
- Rectangular baskets and boxes: length × width × height, for example 14 × 10 × 8 in (36 × 25 × 20 cm), and the height to the top of the handles.
- Mats and shital pati: length × width. Large mats can be given in feet too, for example 5 × 7 ft (152 × 213 cm).
- Plant hangers: the total drop from the hanging ring to the bottom, and the largest pot it holds, for example a pot up to 7 in (18 cm) across.
- Lids, liners and inner pockets: say whether they are included.
- Weight, especially for large baskets and mats.
Materials and techniques to name
Name the fibre exactly: jute, bamboo, cane (bet), hogla leaf, kash grass, palm leaf, date palm leaf, or murta cane for shital pati. Then the technique: coiled and stitched, plaited, twined, woven over a frame, crocheted with jute twine, or knotted macramé. Say whether the colour is the natural fibre or dyed, and if dyed, what kind of dye if you know. Mention any frame, base, lining, handle or fastening and what it is made of, such as a cotton lining or a cane handle. If a design is traditional to a place, you can name the place only when the piece was really made there.
Care
Most woven fibres dislike damp. Tell buyers to keep the piece dry, out of bathrooms unless it is made for them, and away from long direct sun, which fades dyes and can dry fibres out. Dust it with a dry brush or a vacuum on low; wipe spills at once with a barely damp cloth and dry it in the air. If the piece gets wet, dry it fully in shade to avoid mould. New jute can shed a little fibre at first, and new grass or palm leaf can carry a natural smell that fades once aired.
Example names
- Hand-coiled kash grass basket with lid, multicolour, 10 in (25 cm) wide
- Jute macramé plant hanger, natural, 36 in (91 cm) drop
- Bamboo storage basket with handles, 14 × 10 × 8 in (36 × 25 × 20 cm)
- Hand-woven shital pati floor mat, red and natural, 5 × 7 ft (152 × 213 cm)
- Hogla leaf laundry basket with lid, 18 in (46 cm) tall
Questions buyers ask
- Will it hold its shape when it's full? Is the base firm?
- Is the size inside or outside? Will my pot, books or laundry fit?
- Is the colour dyed, and will it fade?
- Can it get wet? Can I use it in a bathroom or outdoors?
- Does it smell or shed when new?
Words to avoid
Don't invent a weight limit such as "holds 10 kg" unless you have tested it. Don't call a piece waterproof, mould-proof or insect-proof, and keep "eco-friendly" for when you can say why, such as "natural undyed jute". Leave out "best quality", "100% handmade" if any part was machine-made, "last few", invented discounts, ALL CAPS and emojis.