Woven from sturdy, tear-resistant banana fiber, this storage basket is lightweight yet durable. As a go-to spot for towels, laundry, or toys, it makes keeping things organized a breeze in more ways than one. With a volume of 38.5 liters, it offers ample storage capacity and, with a base area of 35 centimeters, takes up very little space in the bathroom, kitchen, children’s room, or hobby room. With its block stripes—available in either blue or brown tones—it blends in well with its surroundings, though the color can also serve as a visual code (blue for towels, brown for toys). Thanks to its sturdy leather carrying straps, the basket is comfortable to carry and thus also serves as a reliable shopping bag at the market. Banana fibers are highly flexible; the woven basket is sturdy yet flexible enough that you can fold it flat to save space when not in use.

“Mifuko” is Swahili for “bag.” Bags and baskets were also the starting point for the collaboration between the Finnish designer duo Minna Impiö and Mari Martikainen and the Kenyan women—so what could be more fitting than naming the company after them? At the heart of Mifuko’s product line are items handcrafted from resource-efficient or renewable natural materials sourced from the region. The bags and baskets are made from sisal, milulu grass, palm leaves, banana fibers, elephant grass, or paper cord. These containers aren’t just meant for carrying things; they also serve as versatile storage and organization aids around the house. By the way, you can tell who wove your basket by the attached tag—the women sign their names there.

Kenyan tradition and craftsmanship characterize the designs of the Finnish label Mifuko. The long-standing connection with Kenya enabled the two designers Minna Impiö and Mari Martikainen to start a cooperation with Kenyan craftswomen in 2009 so that the products could also be manufactured in Kenya. Mifuko now works with around 400 women, not only in Kenya, but also in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Ghana. They live mainly in rural areas and work 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 just as important as the skills and traditional manufacturing techniques are taken into account when designing the products. This gives the women the opportunity to expand their knowledge and pass it on to younger women. They can build up their own network and are ultimately able to earn an additional income, as the women and their families primarily work in agriculture. Only when their own fields have been cultivated and the animals cared for do they produce for Mifuko, thus earning an additional income that often saves them during the drought.

Mifuko is a member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO). On the one hand, this implies the permanent implementation and monitoring of fair trade and fair pay, and on the other hand, care is taken to ensure that the natural habitat is affected as little as possible during the manufacture of the products and that occupational safety is guaranteed. In addition, Minna Impiö and Mari Martikainen finance projects that improve the lives of the workers and their families, such as the construction of sanitary facilities.

Certain manufacturing steps are carried out by hand. Slight dimensional and color deviations may therefore occur.