Madagascar, Tanana, 'Fiainana' Life Placemat

Rooted in Madagascar’s Betsimisaraka raffia weaving tradition, the 'Fiainana' Life Placemat* features a pattern symbolising the connection between lives. Rich dark and blue-grey tones are created by immersing raffia threads in natural dye baths for varying lengths of time. The dye is derived from the leaves of the Harungana ‘dragon’s blood’ tree, while invasive plants are used to power the dye baths, providing an additional ecological purpose.

The raffia is sourced directly from local farmers who sustainably prune the palms and contribute to the restoration of native raffia and Harungana trees in rainforest-bordering landscapes. For the Selvedge collection, the fringe is hand-threaded back into the raffia cloth to create a smooth edge, a process that takes one artisan a full day. Loom-woven to order, each pair carries subtle variations in colour, texture and pattern, reflecting the natural materials and hands involved in its making.

Dimensions: 36 × 48 cm each
Materials: Raffia (Raphia farinifera), naturally dyed with leaf dye from the Harungana ‘dragon’s blood’ tree (Harungana madagascariensis)
Production time: Ready to be dispatched within 10 weeks.

*This is a set of 2 placemats.