Basket with lid

Mifuko is Swahili and means bag. And since the cooperation of the designer duo Minna Impiö and Mari Martikainen with the Kenyan women began precisely with bags and baskets, the two Finns simply named their company after it. Since its beginnings in 2009, Mifuko's range has grown many times over, with a focus on products that are handmade from natural, sustainable materials sourced locally. For example, Mifuko's bags and baskets are made from sisal, milulu grass, palm leaves, elephant grass or paper cords, but recycled plastic is also used. The containers are not only intended for transport purposes, but also to serve as versatile storage and order helpers in the house.
This small basket with lid can also be used in the whole household: in the kitchen as a bread or fruit basket and for kitchen utensils or it provides order in the bathroom or children's room. The basket and lid are hand-woven from cord twisted from unbleached paper. Who woven your basket, by the way, you can see on the attached sign, there sign the women with their name.

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 Kenyan craftswomen came into being in 2009 as a result of the two Mifuko designers' long-standing ties with Kenya. In the meantime, Mifuko works with about 400 women, not only more in Kenya, but also in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Ghana. They live mainly in rural areas and work there primarily in agriculture. In the dry season they weave carpets, weave baskets or bags, make jewelry and many other decorative items. Fair payment and long-term business relationships are the main focus, as well as the design of the products taking into account the skills and traditional manufacturing techniques. The women are given the opportunity to expand their knowledge and pass it on to younger women. They can build up their own network and are finally in a position to earn something extra for their livelihood, because first and foremost the women and their families work in agriculture. Only when their own fields are cultivated and the animals are taken care of do they manufacture for Mifuko, thus generating additional income that often saves them through the drought.

Minna Impiö and Mari Martikainen have had Mifuko certified as a member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), which implies the permanent implementation and control of fair trade and fair remuneration as well as the consideration of ecological compatibility and work safety in the production of the products. In addition, they finance projects that improve the lives of the 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.