After the fall of apartheid in South Africa, the Reverend Desmond Tutu christened the country ‘The Rainbow Nation’ because of the different races, tribes, religions, languages and cultures coexisting together and aiming to live in harmony.

What could represent these aims better than our colourful Telephone Wire Bowls made in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa? 

Unlike commercially made mass produced products, each bowl is an absolute work of art and each piece is unique. Based on the traditional skills of weaving baskets from grasses each individual artist designs the patterns and chooses the colours to create these stunning bowls. The workshop started by using telephone wires but as the amount of work grew, they expanded into upcycling other wire materials.

In an area of high unemployment (close to 80%), more than 650 people receive an income from the project and have become skilled in various basketwork, beadwork, and sewing techniques. This means that the people can remain in their homelands and are not forced to move to the cities to provide for their families.

This project has contributed to the local area immensely, helping to build a childcare facility, implement a food scheme, and provide income for members of the community.

Explore our telephone wire bowls here.