Frafra Baskets is a basket wholesaler that sells ethically and sustainably handmade baskets from Ghana. From shopping baskets to storage baskets, Frafra supplies independent retailers across the UK and produces bespoke baskets for larger brands, like TOAST.
What inspired you to start your business/brand?
The creativity! We work with 150 weavers in Bolga, north Ghana, who have been weaving for decades and are extremely skilled at what they do. However, as with all crafts, if artisans can’t make a living from it, then it disappears. Artisans have to be supported if we want to continue to have a creatively diverse world with beautiful things. Frafra was started to ensure that weavers could have a reliable source of income from their weaving work.
What are your brand’s values?
Our mission is to provide high-quality woven products while bringing about meaningful change for our weavers. We’re economically sustainable and environmentally conscious at every stage, and ultimately weaver and design-led.
What is your biggest motivation?
So many things! We’re starting to see a real tangible difference to our weaver’s lives and are excited for that to continue and grow. We’re hoping to have two more communities working with us by the middle of this year.
Where did the inspiration for your product(s) come from?
Our Founders have lived in Ghana, West Africa, for the past ten years, and still do. Like them, I’m sure the moment you see a colourful Ghanaian basket, you can only be inspired by its intricacy in terms of weave, pattern and colour. We don’t restrict our weavers in terms of colour or pattern, so each basket is utterly unique. Even when we’ve worked with larger brands, such as TOAST, on bespoke baskets that need consistency in colour and size – a trained eye can still see little differences in weaving technique between each of them – it’s the beautiful nature of handmade.
Africa has numerous rich basket-weaving traditions that go back centuries, and Ghanaian baskets are renowned for being unique because of the use of Veta Vera grass, a.k.a elephant grass, which is extremely strong and malleable. Classic basket shapes include the U-shopper, a U-shaped shopping basket and the Round basket, which has a deep round centre and a single handle that spans the breadth. We have since started additional shapes, from Oval baskets to laundry baskets and woven placemats. Ideas for different shapes come from our weavers, our team, and our customers!
What has been a highlight whilst creating and building your brand?
Seeing stockists love our weavers’ baskets as much as we do! When you introduce a product to a market, you really have no idea what the reception will really be like, even if you do lots of market research.
We also support the work of Ghanaian creatives beyond our weavers. We work with a Ghanaian photographer and team for our photoshoots, and it’s always been incredible fun.
What advice would you give to business owners, creators, designers, and brand owners just starting out?
Make sure your product and makers inspire you. Starting a business is not easy, but it is always rewarding to work with and for people who inspire you every day.
At the Spring/Summer edition of Top Drawer, will you be launching any new collections, and if so, can you give us a sneak peek?
Yes! We’re very excited to broaden our homeware collection with two different lampshade designs, more storage shapes, including square baskets, all available in all-natural or multicolour options, and more – you’ll just have to visit our stand C16!
What is your personal favourite from your new collection?
Definitely our wavy lampshade. It’s such a unique shape that has to be woven while hung up to ensure balance whilst achieving the permanent undulations.
If applicable, how do you operate your brand sustainably?
Sustainability is at the forefront of what we do. Our weavers live and work in an extreme environment in terms of weather – if we didn’t care about the environment, we wouldn’t be caring for them.
We make it very clear to everyone we work with and our customers that we expect every decision to take the environmentally and socially sustainable option every time– be it sourcing grass, in packaging, photoshoots… honestly, everything.
We are working on social and environmental certification at the moment to formalise our approach to the environment and social commitments. Keep an eye on this space in the new year!
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