Keeping a strong balance between urban, nature and culture, we’re ever on the look-out for that unique product. Something that doesn’t only reflect the skills of the creators, but also sets forth a tradition that’s been kept safe for generations – with great respect for and inspired by nature’s many treasures. It’s our quest to find these and make sure they meet the urban needs of your home. In doing that, we continue to discover companies that share that mission. With love for our planet, people and the beautiful things that can come to life when combining the two, it’s the hazelnut wood basket sold by Austrian company EWH Pirsch GmbH that drew our attention. As part of their ‘Project Donaukorbe’, the Austrian fair-trade company brings us a strong and beautiful wicker basket – and helps making the world a better place at the same time.
Isn’t she a beauty? Made from hazelnut trees, a sustainable, natural source that grows without artificial irrigation on soils near rivers and streams, these baskets provide a sensible alternative to plastic products. It stores your magazines, creates a vivid still life with dried flowers, keeps your comfy plaids warm and dry, and – more traditional - easily carries your fruit and veggies while visiting the weekly market. But the real charm about this braided beauty is why it was made, as part of the ‘Donaukorbe’ Project.
Produced between October and March, in a poor mountain area in Romania, the fair-trade company helps the craftsman and women by giving them a stable amount of work and income. A minority of Hungarian people and Roma families are part of the ‘Donaukorbe’ Project, offering them a future perspective, and making sure rural depopulation is avoided. In other words; create a place they can be happy, have a purpose and create something unique. EWH Pirsch GmbH offers fair prices, while making sure traditional handicraft doesn’t go to waste. And they do so, in areas where most people live in poor conditions, and most are looking to move elsewhere – to have a chance at living a happy life. As the company itself likes to describe it; in the fair-trade business it’s not just the products that count, but more so, the people behind them.
They’ve set goals like creating solid jobs, sustainable and honest trade relations, to promote equal rights for women, maintain traditions and carefully handling the resources of our earth. And with that, they build bridges between the urban markets of our world and the people behind those hand-made must-haves. Another way of bringing you a wonderful product of nature & culture to your urban home.