Laundry basket

The collaboration between Finnish designer duo Minna Impiö and Mari Martikainen and Kenyan women began with bags and baskets. So what could be more natural than to name the company Mifuko - Swahili for bag? Mifuko's product range focuses on bags and baskets that are made by hand from resource-saving or renewable natural materials from the region. Sisal, milulu grass, palm leaves, elephant grass or paper cords are used, as well as recycled plastic. The containers are not only intended for transportation purposes, but also serve as versatile storage and organization aids in the home.

This laundry basket is woven from Chinese reed. It is lighter and more flexible than wicker baskets, for example, but still has enough stability and sturdiness to store and transport towels and laundry for a long time. With a volume of just under 48 liters, it also has sufficient capacity. The Chinese reed, originally from East Asia, comes from Ghana, where the basket is woven by hand by Ghanaian craftswomen. The natural material is durable and flexible. You can see who wove your basket on the attached sign, which the women sign with their names.

The designs of the Finnish label Mifuko are not only characterized by Kenyan tradition and craftsmanship, but the products are also manufactured in Kenya. The cooperation with the Kenyan craftswomen came about in 2009 as a result of the two Mifuko designers' long-standing ties with Kenya. Mifuko now works with around 400 women, not only in Kenya, but also in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Ghana. They live mainly in rural areas and work primarily in agriculture. In the dry season, they weave carpets, weave baskets or bags, make jewelry and many other decorative items. Fair pay and long-term business relationships are just as important as the skills and traditional manufacturing techniques are taken into account when designing the products. This gives the women the opportunity to expand their knowledge and pass it on to younger women. They can build up their own network and are ultimately able to earn an additional income, as the women and their families primarily work in agriculture. Only when their own fields have been cultivated and the animals cared for do they produce for Mifuko, thus earning an additional income that often saves them during the drought.

Minna Impiö and Mari Martikainen have had Mifuko certified as a member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO). On the one hand, this implies the permanent implementation and monitoring of fair trade and fair pay, and on the other hand, care is taken to ensure that the natural habitat is affected as little as possible during the manufacture of the products and that occupational safety is guaranteed. In addition, Impiö and Martikainen finance projects that improve the lives of workers and their families, such as the construction of sanitary facilities.

This product is an example of genuine handicraft; therefore, minor deviations in size and colour may occur.