Good wire to beautiful baskets

Unfortunately, there are many people around the world who have to flee. All of which makes it more important to give these people opportunities and prospects in order to make the world peaceful. The talented wire and glass bead artists of Wirework came to South Africa as refugees from Zimbabwe in search of a better life.

These women have organized themselves into a cooperative and use the colored wires to make unique, artistic baskets, among other things. The telephone wire used in the bowls comes from leftover cable production. Unlike baskets made of raffia and other natural materials, these are virtually indestructible. They are also sustainable, as baskets made from telephone wire are a great example of upcycling - repurposing materials that would otherwise be waste to another, better purpose. Wirework is another example of great social projects from South Africa that combine fair trade with creative power. Because the artists are so proud of their particularly finely woven works, each piece is labeled with names.
You can find more great upcycling projects at Africa!Ignite and Sonnenglas, among others.