CARING FOR YOUR BASKETS & OTHER ELEPHANT GRASS PRODUCTS

INTRODUCTION:

Understanding the construction, content and properties of elephant grass products will assist you in using your product wisely and extending its life.

The baskets, and other products like fans, mats, hats and caxixi music shakers, are handmade by the people of Bolgatanga (Ghana) and surrounding villages from sundried elephant grass. The grass is hand-dyed using traditional natural dyes made from plants and minerals as well as non-toxic fabric dyes to achieve contemporary colours. The natural grass is boiled in the dyes in cast iron or aluminium vats before being sundried.

Elephant grass is a species of grass native to the tropical grasslands of Africa. It is a tall perennial plant, growing to 2–4.5 metres with leaves 30–120 cm long and 1–5cm broad.

Elephant grass has the wonderful properties of being:

  • Strong
  • Durable
  • Light
  • Flexible
  • Able to be reshaped

Products are single or double woven using traditional methods to give strength and durability, whilst the handles of the baskets are covered with cured goat leather for reinforcement and style.

CARE OF YOUR ELEPHANT GRASS PRODUCT:

Your elephant grass product will give you years of service provided you take good care of it, but if abused or misused, it will abrade, break, or quickly fade:

  1. ABRASION: take care with how you lift and lower your basket, and other products, on rough surfaces. If items are dragged, the grass will abrade due to the “sand-papering” effect and friction between the grass and the surface.
  2. BREAKAGES: can occur as a result of using the product in a way that it was not designed to withstand – it is just grass after all!
  • Do NOT outwardly extend the handles of double-handled baskets
  • Do NOT carry double-handled baskets with only 1 handle
  • Do NOT overload your basket – a market basket loaded with green leafy vegetables is much more desirable than one loaded with pumpkins & potatoes (or human babies!)
  • Do NOT compress the basket by loading other items on top or by accidently sitting on it.
  1. FADING: It is likely that your elephant grass product will fade with time. Avoid storing your product in direct sunlight as extended exposure to UV light will accelerate the fading process.
  2. HUMIDITY & MOULD: grass is an absorbent fibre by nature, so you will notice products become damp to the touch in rainy or humid weather. To avoid the development of mould we recommend the following:
  • Store the product in a place that gets good air circulation. Avoid storing in cupboards or dark corners where even your shoes go mouldy!
  • Dry your basket. Elephant grass loves water so it’s not a problem if your basket gets wet. In fact, hosing your basket every couple of months is a great way to rejuvenate and reshape it, however it is essential that the basket is completely dried in the sun, under a fan or near a dehumidifier. WARNING: Do NOT dry near heaters or fires as dried grass is highly combustible.
  • Prevent mould development. Elephant grass products can be sprayed with a diluted solution of clove oil (5ml per 1 litre of water in a spray bottle).  Applying this solution regularly, and drying the product thoroughly after the application, will assist in the prevention of mould. As an alternative to clove oil, a diluted solution of lemon myrtle oil in a spray bottle can be applied in the same manner, to serve the same purpose, and smell amazing!
  • Treat mould. You may notice your elephant grass product develops mould despite your best efforts to prevent it. If you observe your product gets a white, powdery appearance on the surface, this is a warning sign! Take the product outside and give it a good wash with the hose around all surfaces.  Using a stiff brush (wash-up or scrubbing brush) over the surface of the product can also assist in this process.  Treat your product with the clove oil or lemon myrtle oil solution and thoroughly dry.
  • If the mould has taken root and is “set-in” to the grass fibre or leather trim, fill a suitably sized tub/vessel with freshly squeezed lemon juice and hot water (as hot as you can manage to touch). Place the items in the strained juice (no pulp or pips!) of one large lemon per 3 litres of hot water and give it a good stiff brush on the effected surface. The lemon will not only help refresh the scent of the product, but, with thorough drying over time, it can also minimise the mould stain.  After some weeks, it’s possible that the stain is barely noticeable.

REPURPOSING OLD OR DAMAGED BASKETS:

Old, faded, or broken baskets can often be repurposed:

  • Round baskets – remove the handles and use as a planter basket; use as a vessel to plant herbs out in the garden (yes, it will eventually rot and compost, but you will have extended its usefulness); chickens love to nest in baskets
  • Moses baskets can be repurposed as pet beds
  • The options are endless – be creative!

COMPOST:

Once your elephant grass product has lived the best life it can and you are ready to replace it, you can compost it.  Being made of grass, it will decompose (much the same as straw) provided you remove any leather trim and cut it down into small pieces.  You can mix it with other mulch and use it to prevent weeds in your garden bed or add the pieces to the compost bin where you put other garden waste.