Indra Small Coil Storage Basket - Charcoal

This is the Indra in charcoal, 31cm across and 31cm tall. The cord is a two colour twist, a dark charcoal strand plied against a natural jute one, so the wall reads as a dense olive rather than a flat black and pale flecks come through wherever the undyed fibre reaches the surface. The knotting sets up a diagonal grain across the coils. The top four or five rows are finer and lie flat as a band, and the two tan leather handles are whipstitched along their length and seated on shield shaped patches cross stitched to that band.

At 31cm across and the same tall it holds a folded blanket, a stack of magazines or a plant left in its own pot, and the handles clear the rim far enough to take a hand through. The charcoal reads as a dark shape against a pale floor or a light wall, where the natural Indra sits closer to both.

The cord is jute and cotton, hand spun and dyed before it is coiled, and the handles and their patches are goat leather coloured with tree bark and vegetable extract. The baskets are made by a collective of craftswomen in southern India, set up by an NGO to provide steady work in drought prone areas. Because the dye takes differently along a hand spun cord, the depth of the charcoal shifts from row to row. The Indra also runs in a natural, and in a large at 41cm tall and 38cm across.

What size is the small Indra?

31cm across and 31cm tall. There is a large at 41cm tall and 38cm across.

Is it a solid charcoal?

No. The cord twists a dark charcoal strand with a natural jute one, so the wall reads olive with pale flecks through it.

What are the handles made from?

Goat leather, whipstitched along their length and seated on leather patches cross stitched to the rim.

Can it be used outside?

No. Indoor use only, and the colour may fade in sunlight.

How do I look after it?

A soft bristle brush will lift built up dust. Marks come off with a mild soap and water on a soft cloth. Harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners will damage it.