Wounaan Rainforest Baskets & Embera Masks

Intricate baskets and woven masks by the indigenous artists of the Darién rainforest.

Wounaan Rainforest Baskets & Embera Masks

Intricate baskets and woven masks by the indigenous artists of the Darién rainforest.

~ OUR MISSION ~

At Rainforest Baskets our very small team brings beautiful handmade woven art to your space, and empowers indigenous weavers to create a better future for themselves and their families.

Wounaan Master Weavers

Passing down traditions through generations

Months & Years to Create

View upcoming pieces in construction

The Newest Additions

Brilliantly woven unique motifs such as butterflies, iguanas, octupus, alongside traditional bold Greek keys in modern shapes

Harvesting Palm Fronds

Selecting Palm Fronds

Only the freshest, newest palm fronds are selected and gathered from the wild Chunga palm. These trees are covered in 6″ spikes, making gathering these fronds a dangerous effort using hand-crafted ladders and machetes.

Vegetal Dyes

Sourced from the Rainforest

Shredded palm fronds, dried in the sun, readily absorb the vegetal dyes created out of local resources. Roots, berries and river silt are just some of the items that are used to boil, bury, and simmer palm fronds in to take on vibrant colors.

From Our Collectors

“Our basket gets admiring attention when we have guests, and from time to time we just pick it up from the low stand it is on and marvel again at the workmanship.”

James T., Arro Grande, CA

Traditional Coil Construction

Hand-Stitched by Master Weavers

Each piece is begun with a small knot of gathered and dried palm frond, then as that bundle of palm starts to wrap around the center it is meticulously covered. The internal coils are covered completely by the colored palm fronds, thin as thread, using a sewing needle.

Where our weavers are located

Darien Rainforest, Panama

Crossroads of the World

Functioning as a “bridge” between North and South America, Panamá is often referred to as the “Crossroads of the World.” Stretching anywhere from 30 to 130 miles in width, today, this flourishing country welcomes visitors from across the globe, as well as 12,000 ships, through the famous canal that bears its name.

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Our small team publishes a short-run catalog a few times per year: summer and winter. Sign up to receive the current issue and your 30% off coupon. Shipping is always free within the US.

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