A little introduction to The Common Ground

The Common Ground is all about handmade, sustainable, eco friendly decor that empowers rural communities. 

Time consuming and complex, each woven item or clay pot has a story to tell. All items are uniquely handmade in Africa. They are one of a kind - no two items are the same, each one perfectly imperfect. 

Styles, patterns and shapes are unique to each communities location, culture and needs. All items are made using local resources. The typical weaving techniques are coiling, plaiting, warp twining and block weaving. Fibres, such as ilala palm leaves are cleaned, stripped and sometimes dyed before being woven into their specific shapes and patterns. The colours are mostly derived from natural dyes extracted from roots and bark. Weaving is a timeless skill that is mainly perfected by women. These skills are passed down from generation to generation. The craftspeople depend entirely on their rural skills for an income to sustain themselves and their families. 

Due to all items being handmade with natural materials, size and colour may differ slightly. Each piece is a unique, handmade charm. 

'When purchasing handmade, you are purchasing a small piece of an artists heart'