Description

The baskets and bowls made in Vietnam from palm wood are practical, robust and look good. For the 50th anniversary of the Dutch handicraft company Fair Trade Original, Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek developed a collection of palm wood baskets and bowls in different sizes and shapes. The baskets and bowls were finally created on site in Vietnam with local craftsmen under Piet Hein Eek’s guidance. The individual wooden parts of the baskets are connected by a sturdy plastic cord. The woodworkers copied the skillful weaving, threading and knotting from fishermen.

Palm wood is a fast-growing and renewable raw material, which is why its use is considered to be resource-friendly.

These baskets are currently no longer in production. So you can buy some last specimens here.

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Fair Trade Original exists since 1959 and is one of the pioneers of an economic movement, namely to give farmers, craftsmen and companies with good social policies the opportunity to export their products. This creates employment and increases the prosperity of people, their villages and sometimes even whole regions.

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The Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek (1967) graduated from the Design Academy in Eindhoven/Holland in 1990. While still a student, he received considerable attention for his “Scrap Wood” cabinets made from demolition wood, which celebrated the contrasting textures and colours of the wood scraps he used to assemble them.

Piet Hein Eek finds his inspiration in the beauty of the discarded materials he uses: In addition to waste wood, old metal plates, factory scrap, discarded beams and pipes and much more. Based on the found working material, he decides on the concept and the processing methods and finally expresses the natural qualities of the reused material. The result is unique pieces with a unique character and unmistakable appearance. Each piece is carefully handcrafted in Piet Hein Eek’s own workshop in Eindhoven with great effort. In addition to various workplaces and workshops, his huge premises also include a showroom, a shop, a restaurant and a hotel.

The name Piet Hein Eek stands for originality and exclusivity, because his creations clearly stand out from those of other designers and are often only available in small quantities. His product range is extremely broad and extends from chairs, tables, sideboards and beds to lamps and garden houses. His works can be purchased from selected dealers worldwide and have also been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.