A Guide to Our Basket Weaves

Woven baskets are one of the simplest ways to bring natural texture and practical storage into your home. They add warmth and character while softening hard surfaces in kitchens and bathrooms and bringing natural texture to bedrooms, living spaces and beyond. Whether placed on a shelf, under a bench or tucked into a corner, baskets help keep everyday essentials organised while adding texture to the spaces around them.

At The Dharma Door, our baskets are handwoven from natural fibres using a variety of traditional techniques. From intricate stitches and open weaves to structured twists and soft braids, each technique creates a different texture, structure and finish. Made in partnership with our Fair Trade artisan partners in Bangladesh, these baskets support ongoing employment for women in rural communities while preserving traditional weaving skills.

In this guide, we take a closer look at the different basket weaves in our collection, how they are made and the natural fibres used to create them. Discover what makes each weave distinctive and how these different techniques shape the finished basket.

Twisted & Knotted Jute

Some of our most-loved baskets begin with natural jute, hand-twisted into strong lengths of cord. On the verandahs of their homes, our artisan partners loop locally sourced strands of jute around fixed posts and twist them by hand to form the cord used to weave each basket.

The thickness of the cord varies depending on the scale of the finished piece: thinner for smaller baskets and thicker for larger ones. The hand-twisted cords are then woven and knotted around a mould, giving each basket its shape and helping to maintain consistency in size and form. With its rounded cord and knotted construction, this technique creates a distinctive texture and a lighter, more flexible structure than many of our other basket weaves.

This detailed technique is used to create some of our most popular pieces. Our unlined Sona Square, Rectangle and Square Duo Baskets, Seafarer Small & Large Baskets and Woven Pots are made from a single layer of twisted and woven jute, giving them a lighter, more flexible structure that can be reshaped by hand. Their relaxed forms work particularly well for everyday storage, from toys and throws to smaller essentials on shelves and consoles, while bringing the warmth and texture of natural jute into the room.

The Seafarer Laundry and Rani Baskets use the same distinctive weave with an internal rubber lining and a jute/cotton blend lining, creating a firmer, more structured basket.

Plaited & Hand-Stitched Jute

A timeless classic, our braided and stitched jute weave was the very first basket style introduced to our collection in 2008 and continues to be loved for its strength, simplicity and warm natural texture. The dense construction creates baskets that are sturdy enough to hold their shape while remaining pliable, making them practical for a wide range of uses throughout the home.

Our artisan partners begin by sorting and brushing natural blonde jute before hand-braiding the fibres into long, even lengths. These braids are then coiled and carefully stitched together by hand, row by row, using a needle and thick cotton thread. This creates a dense, tactile weave with strength and structure, without the need for an internal lining or added support.

Throughout the making process, the artisans measure and shape the baskets as they work to maintain the correct form and dimensions. This technique is used to create our Jute Laundry Basket, Small and Large Rectangle Jute Baskets, Large Round Basket, Jute Tray Basket, Small and Tall Square Jute Baskets and Jute Bowls. Many of these designs are especially suited to open cabinetry and built-in joinery, bringing natural texture to shelves and cubby-style storage while keeping everyday items neatly contained.

The same braided and stitched technique is also used for our Round Jute Placemats and Coasters and many of our Jute Rugs and Runners.

Coiled & Woven Palm Fibre

Our palm fibre baskets are made using a traditional coiled weaving technique that creates their distinctive firm, sculptural forms. Shaped entirely by hand, this construction gives the baskets strength and structure while allowing our artisan partners to create a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

To begin, our artisan partners cut fine strips of palm fibre from the centre of locally harvested, dried palm leaves. These are then wrapped around small bundles of natural kaisa grass, with the thickness of each bundle varying depending on the size and scale of the finished design. As the weaving progresses, the women use a strong needle to carefully thread, wrap and stitch the palm fibre around each coil of grass, gradually building the basket into its finished form.

The warm, natural tone and structured weave of palm fibre bring texture and a sculptural presence to a space. Many of our palm fibre baskets also feature fitted lids, making them particularly useful for concealing everyday items while still looking beautiful on display. You'll find this weave in our Mira Laundry and Small Baskets, Tavi Laundry Basket, Sia Basket, Sakoa Flat-Backed Baskets, Dhali Baskets and Buna Baskets.

The same coiled technique is also used to create our Round Palm Fibre Placemats, Coasters and Trays, bringing the natural texture of palm fibre to the table.

Hand-Loomed Jute & Cotton

The fabric used for our Soha Baskets is woven by artisans in a traditional weaving community, working either in shared spaces or on the verandahs of their homes. The artisans begin with lengths of plaited blonde jute, which are woven together with coloured cotton thread on wooden looms, row by row, using a shuttle and foot pedals.

This technique creates a strong, textural fabric with a subtle vertical line and contrast between the natural jute and cotton. The blonde jute provides the foundation, while the colour of the cotton thread changes the overall look: Natural brings a warmer tone, while Bone creates a paler, slightly cooler finish. Both work easily alongside other natural materials and a wide range of colours throughout the home.

Each Soha Basket has a layered construction, with the outer handwoven jute and cotton fabric supported by an internal recycled rubber layer and finished with a soft, hand-loomed natural cotton lining. Stitching through each layer keeps everything in place, helping the basket hold its shape while protecting the contents inside.

You'll also find this distinctive jute and cotton fabric in our Lahari Floor Runners, Malu Placemats and Malu Table Runners, bringing the same woven texture to floors and tables throughout the home.

Hand-Dyed & Backstrap-Loomed Jute

In a remote region of Bangladesh, women have been practising the traditional techniques of hand-rolling, natural dyeing and weaving jute on backstrap looms for generations. The process creates the distinctive fabric used on the outer layer of our Boda Baskets, with tonal variations and an irregular texture that make every piece unique.

To begin, artisans roll natural jute between their hands to form tightly spun strings in preparation for weaving. These are then dyed by hand: large cast-iron pots of water are boiled over open fires, and the fibres are coloured using natural dyes before being hung to dry on bamboo poles. Once dry, the jute string is woven on backstrap looms, handmade from bamboo and anchored around the waist with a strap of woven fabric. Sitting on the floor, the women carefully weave the jute into long, narrow panels of cloth.

For our Boda Baskets, this handwoven fabric forms the outer layer, supported by an internal recycled rubber layer and finished with a cotton lining inside. Stitching through each layer helps the baskets hold their shape while protecting the contents within. Generously sized and structured, they're ideal for laundry but can also be used for storing toys, exercise gear, throws and other larger household items, bringing earthy colour and natural texture to the room.

You'll also find this distinctive weave in our Uttam Totes and Tantu Shoppers, where the same hand-rolled, naturally dyed jute creates subtle variations in colour and texture.