Woven in Africa

Designers without Borders have collaborated with Mozambican basket weavers to create an African-inspired armchair.

Part of the Project

State of the Nation Basket Chair by Designers without Borders, Sian Eliot and the Costa do Sol weavers.
State of the Nation Basket Chair by Designers without Borders, Sian Eliot and the Costa do Sol weavers.

Originating from Mozambique, the State of the Nation Basket Chair has a colourful story to tell.

Designers without Borders collaborated with Sian Eliot and the Costa do Sol weavers in Mozambique to create a unique and practical armchair.

Hand woven using dried palm leaf, the chair incorporates age-old craftsmanship with modern engineering knowledge to fashion a sellable and sustainable furniture piece. The basket seat of the chair is woven in Mozambique by the Costa do Sol weavers and it is then completed in South Africa. The stackable leg detail allows for easier transport and market access.

The State of the Nation Basket Chair was on display at Design Indaba Expo’s groundbreakingAfrica is Now exhibition under the theme “Africa is Tradition Reinvented”, which looked at how African designers interpret ancient vocabularies of form, material and craft into a new visual language for African icons.