Utilising creativity to ignite change, Gone Rural is a leader in handcraft design. By re-thinking and transforming craft, our soulful, hand-woven work takes traditional weaves into a contemporary context.

Our products range from functional homeware to gallery pieces, including Signature Collections inspired by the stories of the women weavers. Gone Rural continues to interpret & reinvent traditional weaving techniques to create contemporary designs. We remain committed to economically empowering our weavers, offering quality training to our artisans, and maintaining the integrity of the handcraft tradition.

We recently began the THAKI project, which gave design direction to the women we work with. The results have been beautiful, natural, and colourful. This collection has been inspired by the four elements - Earth, Water, Fire and Air - which have been interpreted into contemporary designs and new techniques by the artisans. Takhi, the Siswati word meaning "designing" or "making on your own" is Gone Rural UK's first artisan-lead design collection.

  • The design process begins with a conversation about direction and function. These ideas are harmonised and translated into the final product.

  • Story telling through weaving! The conversation continues, refining the design trajectory. The women's creative spark is inspired by their natural environment and ideas from western magazines.

  • Finalising the designs. All the final textures and colours we choose are symbolic of life's natural textures and environment in eSwatini.

  • eswatini-women-artisan-makers-homewares-gone-rural

    Prepping the grass for weaving. Our pieces are woven using indigenous lutindzi grass, sustainably harvested from rocky mountainous areas, and sisal, an invasive aloe plant which grows wild across the southern part of the country.

  • Weaving begins! Skilled artisans are utterly memerising to watch, meditative even. Each layer of grass is meticulously woven in by hand, with the greatest attention to detail.

  • Water, the finished product!

    SHOP COLLECTION 

Collections