The Sisal Story

Long before sisal became the material of choice, Taita baskets were woven from fibres of indigenous plants — Ngonge, Mrungua, and even bark from the iconic baobab tree.

These fibres required patience and skill: some were softened by chewing, others by soaking. Baskets were woven by hand for daily life, storing cereals, legumes, and other essentials. Craft passed naturally from mothers to daughters, long before it became a source of income.

Why Sisal?

Sisal (Agave sisalensis) thrives in Kenya’s dry landscapes. Introduced in the early 20th century, it quickly became ideal for basket weaving.

Compared to earlier fibres, sisal is:

  • Easier to prepare
  • Long, strong, and durable
  • Grown without irrigation or pesticides
  • Suited to arid conditions

A sisal plant matures in 4–5 years. Leaves can be harvested once or twice a year for up to a decade. After flowering, tall stems — sometimes 4 metres high — are reused locally as poles for traditional construction.

Preparing the Sisal

Harvesting the Leaves

Leaves are cut by hand, leaving the plant to regenerate naturally. Freshly harvested leaves are skinned and washed within 24 hours to keep fibres long, clean, and strong. After washing, the fibres are spread out on drying racks under the sun.

Brushing and Bailing

Once dry, the sisal is brushed, sorted by grade, and baled, ready for distribution. Hadithi Crafts purchases the baled sisal from a nearby sisal estate and transports it to Hadithi headquarters.

Dyeing and Drying

At Hadithi’s dye centre, sisal is carefully dyed with certified dyes, and laid out to drying racks, turning natural fibres into vibrant colourful threads ready for weaving.

Distribution

The fibre is divided into bundles of abundant colours for distribution to the weavers. Hadithi deploys satellite shops through women groups in various villages, so the weavers have the sisal available when they need it.

Harvest
Brushing
Drying
Distribution

Other Materials

  • Beads

    Glass beads come from local suppliers and are carefully sorted by colour, size, and quality. They carry cultural meaning and add the bright, intricate patterns for which Hadithi jewellery is known.

  • Leather

    Sourced locally, vegetable-tanned goat leather is cut and sewn into durable, practical pieces. Each scrap is used thoughtfully to minimize waste. Cow leather for other products, is purchased from registered Kenyan tanneries.

  • Palm Fibre

    Used for coastal-style baskets, palm is harvested sustainably and prepared similarly to sisal — stripped, dried, and sorted before weaving.

  • Dyes (Sisal & Wool)

    Hadithi’s dye centre uses natural dyes, and cationic to dye the sisal fiber. Colours are tested for vibrancy, durability, and environmental safety, ensuring every product is both beautiful and responsibly made.

  • Cotton Kanga

    Khanga is a lightweight printed cotton fabric widely worn along the East African coast. Known for its bold colours and Swahili sayings, it carries both everyday function and cultural expression.