The women of Wolof Weavers of Senegal preserve the coil style of basket weaving by passing the technique down across generations. Wolof Weavers is a cooperative effort of over 100 highly skilled women weaving in nine villages.
Using thick local grasses and strips of recycled plastic, the artisans craft baskets and hampers that generate income critical to sustaining their families. Traditionally, long strips of reed grass and njodax, a thick grass found locally, would be used to create the baskets, but the reed strips were harsh on the hands. Within the past couple of decades, recycled plastic strips were introduced in place of the reed grass, creating better conditions for the weavers and allowing for more colorways. The talented artisans earn fair wages and preserve culture while creating beautifully woven baskets with a story.