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Purchasing & Export Agents for Southeast Asia

Selling to consumers, retailers, and  wholesalers worldwide, we have a decade-long presence in the region and 35+ years experience in international business, law, and trade. 

We are looking for a distributor for these products.

The images on this page show the incredible detail of the master basket maker's craft.

You will need to click on each small image and then use your browser's close up feature. or copy the images to your local drive and use another program to open each with and use that programs close-up feature.

A one "yar" basket. Yar is a measure of rice = 1 bushel.	A two yar basket = 2 bushels
Outside Height 34"  Inside height 23" Diameter 12"	Outside Height 35"  Inside height 23" Diameter 16"

Each basket presently takes it's master craftsman more than one month to make.  Details of the making of these baskets are demonstrated by a middle age apprentice, below.

VVG has developed with the master craftsmen and their villagers a revival and improvement on an old manufacturing concept perfectly suited for this village craft.  Under our procedures,  a master craftsman will produce as many as 10 one-yar baskets a month and train new master craftsmen in less than one year's time.

The present average age of the few remaining master craftsmen is over 80.  We estimate that this craft will be (i) saved and revived, able to produce commercial quantities of these magnificent baskets, in less than three years; or (ii) lost for all time in less than 5 years as the remaining master craftsmen age and die.

Notice how the basket tops are made from the stem of the Lo-O plant. The stem is cut into reeds or stays that are still attached to the stem. When completed, these take on the form of a stem from a piece of fruit.  The reeds or stays are spread and then concentrically woven with smaller reeds .  Under the stem reeds or stays are placed a layer of leaves and under them is secured a 3rd layer of woven reeds or stays that is then bound to the top.

A similar process is used for the body of the basket except that each stay is hand carved to its narrow flat or round shape before being woven in place. The weaving is not layered but so tight as to be water-tight. Only the bottom is woven with small spaces to allow the escape of rain water but not rice grains.

Contributing to this unique design is the water- and rice-tight wave, the intricate weave of the top, and the exterior design weave. There are no other baskets like this produced in the world.

	The top of the basket is formed by the stem of the  Lo-O plant that forms the handle by which the top is held and removed. The reeds or  stays, cut from the stem, remain attached.		These plants are very much like rattan, solid wood that must be cut, trimmed and formed while still green, soft, and pliable.
	Each master craftsman has his own design that he places on each basket.		The ancient designs are often found in other woven products and can be found as far away as South America.
	These images show that day light does not enter the baskets.  We can also see the work that goes into the  interior of each.		Over time with use the inner layer of leaves will deteriorate allowing some daylight through.  Even though, when these were cleaned with a high power water nozzle, no water entered.
	Neither daylight nor water come in from the tops. These baskets were in use for more than 15 years.		The inner layer of leaves can be seen. These baskets are each at least 20 years old.
Sedang youth using a one-yar basket in 1999.	Using an old basket as model for the new.	The strips or reeds are first whittled to size.	Then the still green sticks are rounded and shaped.

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The full range of handicrafts that we work with include

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