Gone Rural - Single Placemat - Pink Candy - Eswatini

Description:
These woven placemats bring warmth, texture, and life to any table setting. Each placemat is carefully handwoven in Eswatini by women artisans using traditional techniques passed down through generations. Durable yet stylish, the mats are made by plaiting long lengths of lutindzi grass or sisal, then sewing them together with precision. Lutindzi grass is a locally harvested, hardy wild grass that grows sustainably in the mountains of Eswatini, while sisal is a strong natural fibre known for its resilience and ability to hold colour, making these mats both functional and beautiful.

Handcrafted with care, every placemat reflects the artisan’s skill, heritage, and creativity, blending contemporary design with natural, sustainable materials.

Dimensions:

• Diameter: 32 cm

Materials:

• Lutindzi Grass: Indigenous to Eswatini, naturally renewable, and extremely durable, making it ideal for weaving strong, long-lasting pieces.

• Sisal: A tough natural fibre, known for its strength and fine texture, dyed in vibrant colours to create striking contemporary patterns.

About the Maker:
These placemats are handcrafted by a collective of over 700 women artisans working with Gone Rural, a pioneering social enterprise founded in 1992 by Jenny Thorne in Eswatini. Gone Rural was created with the vision of empowering women in remote communities where formal employment opportunities are scarce.

Many of the artisans are mothers or grandmothers who weave from home, allowing them to maintain traditional lifestyles while caring for children, including orphans and vulnerable members of their communities. The enterprise provides market access, training, materials, and product design support, enabling women to earn sustainable incomes while preserving Eswatini’s rich cultural heritage.

With every woven strand, these artisans carry forward generations of knowledge, creating pieces that embody empowerment, resilience, and tradition.