Basketry Raffia

Plaited or crochet, the sundried leaves from the raffiapalm becomes hats and bags.

The pictures below show how the women on the Malagasy countryside, with varying technology and design, plait the sundried raffia palmleaves. The result is elegant hats, lace pattern makes them featherweight. The button on the bag is an interesting detail - it consists of a seed pod from raffiapalm.
The material: Leaves from the raffia palm (Arecaceae Raphia farinifera), which thrive on the hot and humid shores of Madagascar. This species grows 15-20 meters high and has a crown with a massive amount of leaves that can be up to 20 meters long. (The raffia palm has longer leaves than any other palm). The leaves of the palm can be harvested regularly, sun-dried and used in handicrafts. The raffia palm on Madagascar (Raphia farinifera) is one of approx 20 species, which are mainly found in Africa.
Another factor that makes this genuine craft Sustainable: The hats and bags of raffia are beautiful and age with beauty. - They are things you preserve.

1. The raffia palm thrives on Madagascar's hot and humid coasts. The leaves can be harvested regularly, dried in the sun. The material can for example be braided into hats and bags.

2. The artisans, three sisters, live in rural areas. The road to them is of mud and it is very bumpy.

3. Mme Odette is one of three sisters who together braid hats and bags.

4. Mme Perline braids. As so often in car craft, she uses both hands and feet. The result is a beautiful lace pattern.

5. The sisters on their farm. The feathery hats and bags make a excellent contribution to subsistence farming economy.

6. The hat crafted in the previous photos. Click on the photo to find it in La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE assortment.

7. The artisans also make basket-bags to match the hat.

8. The basket-bag has an outside of lace patterned plaited raffia. For shape and carrying strength, the basket bag has an inside of braided sedges. It has a drawstring closure of cotton textile. Click on the photo for more information about the basket-bag.

9. Mme Raton with a bag made using the craft technique that involves first braiding raffia into ribbons, then sewing them together into a bag or hat. (More on this crafting technique further down the page.)

10. Artisan Madame Raton wearing a beautifully wide-brimmed, self-made raffia hat.

11. These artisans also make beautiful, light and functional sun hats for children. Click on the photo for more information about this children's hat in the La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE range.

1. 1. The mud road leads to yet another village where women handicraft makes an important part of the economy.

2. The plaiting begins with the middle of the hat-crown.

3. Mme Ida plaits.

4. Hat block is used to give the hat-crown correct shape and size. Here, the crown of the hat has just been completed.

5. After the crown of the hat, the work on the brim continues.

6. Mme Vololoniaina braid together with Ida and another sister-in-law.

7. The hat crown is finished and the work of plaiting the brim begins.

8. The artisans have plaited the brim of this hat into a net. The net pattern provides pleasant shade, but allows the wind to pass through. Click on the photo for more information about the hat.

9. For this hat, however, the artisans have given the hatcrown a lace pattern to let in cooling air, while the neck and shoulders are shaded by the wide brim. - Madame Vololoniaina and colleagues are skilled artisans with diversity in their work. Find more of their hats in La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE assortment.

Hats and bags can also be made by first braiding the raffiapalmleavs into band, which are thereafter stitched together. Below shows the artisan and designer Madame Mariette how a hat is handcrafted.

01 The material is sun dried leaves from the raffiapalm.

02 Madame Mariette start by tying a bunch of raffiapalm leaves at, for example, a chair.

03 The raffiapalmleaves are braided to band.

04 The band is stitched together to make a hat. The work begins at the centre of the hatcrown, continue lap after lap.

05 The hat of naturewhite raffia will get details in contrasting colour.

06 The pink ribbon is placed around the hat crown. Matching the edge of the brim.

07 Mme Mariette gives the hat a final touch. The hat is ready!

08 The hat is ready! Here Madame Mariette has made it with green ribbon instead of pink.

09 Another of Mme Mariette hat models is art no 2543 Chapeau Mariette pique-nique. It is made with the same crafting technique, but the braided bands are narrower. The model is different with narrower brim, etc. The hat model is shown in this picture (and on Mme Mariette in one of the foregoing).

10 Mme Mariette in another one of her (popular) models: art nr 2542 Chapeau Mariette Vagabond.

11 Hat model 2541 Chapeau Mariette Courbe is made with the same crafting technique, but the curved brim gives a different expression to the hat. Sustainable Crafts - with style that lasts.

How women skilfully crochet hats and bags of sundried raffia palm leaves are shown on the photos below.

1 Here begins crochet of a new product of raffia palm leaves.

2 Madame Denise lives in a village on the Malagasy countryside. She is one of those women who receive support from La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE. Their hats and bags are available in La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE range since the 90's.

3 Madame Denise crocheting the raffia palm leaves to pattern. Here it will be a bag.

4. Bag with outside of crocheted raffia palm leaves, inside of plaited sedges. The shoulder straps of the bag are braided from raffia, the button is a seed pod from the raffia palm. Find the bag in the La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE assortment by clicking on the photo.

5. Hat from Denise's home village crocheted from raffia palm leaves. Find the hat in La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE range by clicking on the photo.

6. The hat crocheted from raffia is soft and flexible. The brim is easy to shape and the hat is easy to pack in the bag.

7. This hat is also crocheted - albeit with a slightly different technique - from raffia and in the same village. Very easy to shape and practical quality hat. Click on the photo to find the hat handmade with this crochet technique in La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE range.

9 Madame Olga, in another village, starting crochet a flower. The flower is for type of that she herself wears. Apart from the crochet flower, the hat is made with the craft techniques described above; first braiding band, then sewing the band together.

10 Flower crochet of sundried raffia palm leaves on hat braided of the same fine material. Art nr 2572 100% handcraft of 100% natural material.