Steele Canvas Basket with Wheels

We feel compelled to mention that because there are baskets which are so handsome that they qualify as furnishings, they should be spared the usual banishment in the pantry. Smooth-running rubber rollers transform the large storage basket into a mobile transportation basket, whose range extends beyond the wash room, from a spot next to the sofa as a basket for cushions and blankets or into the children’s room as a safe haven for the stuffed animals. And everyday and not so everyday items fit in the small basket, which thanks to its more compact dimensions, can be stowed on the shelf or in the closet, to maintain order.

Learning by doing or missing the mark is what you could call product development at Steele Canvas Basket Corporation in Boston, Massachusetts. The firm has been manufacturing transport containers for hotels and laundries since 1921. The killing pace of that kind of transportation, from the washing machine to the dryer, or across the country from coast to coast calls for baskets and containers that can take a lot of punishment.

The same material and processing that go into Steele Canvas products for the industry are used for private use. An extremely rugged cotton fabric, called duck canvas, is stretched over a solid steel frame. The high fabric weight ensures that it will face the roughest treatment int the course of the day. An edging made of cow’s leather (2–3 mm. thick) protects the fabric edge from fraying and provide a convenient gripping surface. It’s carefully sewn and riveted, contributing to the durability of the baskets. 
Here’s a little fabric history: Duck canvas has nothing to do with Donald Duck or Dagobert or other members of the cartoon clan. The term “duck canvas“ comes from the Dutch “doek“ and indicates originally the sturdy fabric that had to withstand wind and weather on the high seas or in the open fields.