While on holiday my friend Trudi Edmunds a British Decorative Artist met fellow artisan Parvathi Manivasagam in Mahaballipuram, South East India, who is an expert weaver. Trudi commissioned Parvathi to make some woven baskets for her. Parvathi hand weaves the basket bodies from colourful polypropylene strips.  Parvathi is paid a very fair wage for her part, which helps provide her children with a decent education, keep a roof over their heads & food on the table.

Trudi works directly with Parvathi and has become a family friend - there are no middle men - Parvathi receives full payment for her hard work. On her recent trip Trudi experienced life in her villageate eating with the family, sitting on the floor eating food off banana leaves instead of plates    Through working with Trudi, Parvathi's house now has running water . See Parvathi at work on our You Tube Video courtesy of Trudi.

Our Toy Tidy baskets as seen in the picture behind Parvathi will shortly be available on our web site in sets of 3.