Tunisia ✓ Verified craft Plaited basketry
Alfa basketry
local name: Halfa
Baskets, mats and bags plaited from alfa grass, a plant of the Tunisian steppe.
Alfa grassNatural fibers PlaitingCoilingHand finishing
Alfa (halfa) grass grows on the dry plateaus of central and southern Tunisia. Women harvest it, dry it, soak it and plait it into mats, bags, hats and baskets used every day. The craft is passed from mother to daughter and has recently found new markets through design collaborations.
Key information
Type
Plaited basketry
Materials
Alfa grass, Natural fibers
Techniques
Plaiting, Coiling, Hand finishing
Origin
Tunisia
Regions
Kairouan, Gabès
Transmission
Family, women's cooperatives
Active since
Living tradition
Meaning & stories
A symbol of rural know-how and women's economy in the steppe regions.
Read the full story →From challenges to innovations
Challenges
- Overharvesting of alfa
- Low prices
- Ageing of practitioners
Existing innovations
- Design partnerships
- Cooperatives selling online
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