gaa debuts with rush-weaving series handcrafted in taiwan

rush-weaving artisans have continually seen a decrease in business due to the pervasiveness of industry. with mass-produced options readily and cheaply available, individual craftsmen and small collectives have had to take steeply discounted pay to make ends meet. the taiwan yuan-li handiwork association is dedicated to keeping traditional crafts — and the people who have dedicated their lives to them — afloat.

gaa debuts with rush-weaving series handcrafted in taiwan
all images courtesy of gaa

finland-based designer chia-en lu, founder of gaa, worked with the association to produce her first product, the ‘rush-weaving series’. a collection of simple, modern baskets; each is handmade in taiwan by master craftswoman xueyun wen. the woven patterns are local to the area and have passed down generation-to-generation for more than 280 years. a highly-skilled artisan can produce roughly one basket per full working day. however, lu optimized the design so that apprentice rush-weavers can still make it with relative ease.

baskets are perfect for small trinkets or jewelry 

once completed, each basket — there are four variations — is finished with a polished copper rim or lid. the top pieces are also fabricated by hand; in this instance by a metal smith in taipei, taiwan. round copper sheets are rotated on a lathe, and with a specially made tool, masterfully turned and folded into the proper form. the ‘rush-weaving series’ is available through studio gaa. 

‘shallow basket’ 

xueyun wen, master craftswoman behind the ‘rush-weaving series’ 

another craftsman making a hat; a common rush-grass product

before weaving, grass is dried, culled, and each fiber is thinly sliced into multiple pieces 

increasingly rare rush-grass farm

designboom has received this project through its ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, which welcomes readers to submit their own work for publication. you can purchase this product, and many more original design items, on the designboom shop — our international, digital marketplace of specialized design merchandise.

edited by: nick brink | designboom