handmade with love
Working with a range of local artisans and suppliers around the world, we source a treasure trove of soulful goods that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern design. Everything we sell is 100% ethically produced and handmade using only the highest-quality materials. You can be confident knowing each product is made fairly and every purchase you make will directly support the artisans and local communities we operate in.
Rattan bags have been popular for years now and while many people may own a bag similar to ours, most people don’t know where they were made (and whether or not it was handmade or mass-produced in a factory somewhere), how intricate the production process is and that the craftsmanship that goes into making them has been passed down through many generations. It is truly inspiring. All our rattan pieces are handmade in a small village in the East of Bali. The material used is called Ata grass and is a reed that is grown in Bali as well as other Indonesian islands.
Process to crafting each of our bags:
- Weaving – Ata grass can often be seen on the sides of the road drying in the sun. Once dried, the village people hand-weave each piece into different shapes for our beautiful bags.
- Set and dried – once the bag is completed, they are boiled in rainwater for one day then left in the sun to dry for another few days.
- Smoked – the pieces are then ‘smoked’ over coconut husks as part of the drying process (this also explains the smoky smell that some of the bags have; however, this scent fades overtime). This process makes the material strong and durable.
- Lining and leather detail – the final stage of the production is to add the lining, leather straps, our custom labels and closures.
The process is time consuming and could take one skilled artisan one week to finish just one bag. However, often it takes a few people in the village with each person specialising in a specific part of the process. Other non-rattan pieces in our collection are handmade out of a range of quality materials from the island, such as banana leaves, straw, raffia and genuine leather. Due to the handmade nature, no two pieces we sell will ever be exactly alike – ensuring you a one-of-a kind product that will last for years to come.
We hope you enjoy your e. lane traders pieces as much as we enjoy sourcing them for you. Shop the latest collection now.
