Banana Fiber Basket Box Utensil Holder or Storage

This lovely handcrafted container is woven from the leaves from banana trees in Kenya.  It is a beautiful and sustainable material that has a tortoise shell finish.  This piece is perfect for organizing utensils and napkins for a buffet or picnic.  It can also be used as a storage container or store display.

• Measures approximately:  8.5 inches square and 4 inches tall.
• Actual pieces may vary slightly in color, size or shape due to the handmade nature of each piece. 

The Story Behind the Art:

Women in the villages in Kenya, near Kitui, are educated and trained on the handmade craft of recycling the dried fiber of banana plants, which would normally be discarded. They use their talents to transform the banana fiber into new, eco-friendly art forms. First, the banana fiber is dried, and then a light varnish is applied. The varnish on the banana fiber, with its many shades of brown, resembles textured tortoise shell. Once the process is complete, the artisans cut the fiber into strips to make one-of-a-kind goods.