Journal
Stories from Iringa, the women who weave, and the life these baskets live.
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Meet the Women Artisans Who Weave Our Bags in Iringa, Tanzania
More than 300 women in Iringa and Njombe weave our bags with Vikapu Bomba. Here is who they are, how the work is organized, and what it has changed.
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The Four-Hour Walk Before the Weaving Begins
Before a single strand is woven, the women walk about four hours there and back to gather milulu grass. This is where every bag begins.
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Why a Handwoven Tote Takes Seven to Nine Days to Make
Seven to nine days of weaving, by one woman’s hands, after the grass is already gathered and dried. Here is what goes into one tote.
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From River to Handwoven Bag: The Seven Steps Behind Every Fortress of Blessing Bag
From milulu grass on a riverbank in Tanzania to your shoulder in seven steps: gathering, preparing, weaving, leather, checking, Denver, you.
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Straw Tote Bag or Woven Crossbody Bag? How to Choose Your Everyday Carry
A tote when you carry more, a crossbody when you want your hands free. A simple guide to choosing the handwoven bag that fits your day.
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Still Hunting for a Gift She’ll Actually Keep? 7 Handmade Christmas Gifts Under $150
Seven handwoven basket bags from Iringa, Tanzania, each under $150 and each one of a kind. A gift she will carry, not put away.
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From Grass to Bag: How a Tanzanian Basket Is Woven by Hand
Every Fortress of Blessing bag begins as milulu grass on a riverbank in Tanzania’s southern highlands. Here is how the women of Vikapu Bomba in Iringa turn it into a bag you can carry anywhere.