Our story
All our products are woven from indigenous grasses, cane, river reeds, creepers and of course ilala palm, baked in the sun of sub-Saharan Africa. We love the unbleached natural tones and rustic informality of our collection as it offers a softness and balance to any interior scheme and hints at that all-important connection to nature. Our collection is personally sourced and brought to you by our passionate team.
We champion the warmth and wonder in the wonky, valuing imperfect beauty over the superficially perfect. Our collection is sewn, watered, harvested, dried, dyed, woven and plaited by hand and every piece therefore has its own character and charm. No two pieces are the same and we love the bumps and bends which form as part of the natural weaving process, giving our collection beautiful irregularity.
We reinvent traditional woven ware for the modern home by converting grain gourds to lamps and by adding bespoke details to match individual tastes. For example, we play with flashes of colour against the natural palm, adding a quirkiness and the unexpected to our collection. We love that our natural irregular forms find space and function well in contemporary contexts.
Ilala takes pride in supporting rural, African, weaving communities, particularly women, enabling them to gain financial independence. In real terms this means education for the next generation and in the case of one group, the building of a brick sun shelter, crucial respite from the relentless African sun (and rains). We meet and work with all of our weavers, where possible, and look forward to meeting more. We regularly perform logistical gymnastics and overcome the challenges of rural Africa to bring authentic beauty to a wider audience.
