Each Bilum is one of a kind and this listing is for the Bilum pictured in the first shot

Woven baskets and bags such as these hand woven bilum bags from Papua New Guinea provide us with a link to the natural world and a connection to a more natural lifestyle.

Bilum weaving is an ancient art, passed down from mother to daughter over thousands of years. Made exclusively by women, these bags are woven using a highly controlled movement of twisting and looping without knots. Each bilum is lovingly handmade and no two bilums are the same. 

Come the weekend when I want to simplify my look - and my life, I reach for my Bilum. I take out my wallet and keys from my leather bag and place them into this precious woven bag. I wear my Bilum slung diagonal across my body and it hangs so comfortably close to my side, as though it's part of me. It always feels so natural and primal wearing this bag.

I'll take mine to the local greengrocers to pick up fruit and vegetables for the weekend, and I’ll also take it to the beach, as the woven fibres make it a very practical beach bag for beach combing, as the sand falls straight through the tight weave. The great thing about this particular Bilum is that this style expands the more you place into it.

I have longed to be able to offer these precious bags in the shop and have just recently sourced a handful of these one of a kind authentic woven pieces.

Bush twine is used to weave this Bilum. The twine is made using the traditional technique of hand rolling plant fibres into twine over the knee and dyed using natural pigments made from plants and ochres.

The patterns are inspired by the surrounding environment, lineage and life of the weaver.

Available exclusively in my online shop.

Hand woven in Papua New Guinea using natural fibres and dyes

35cm wide x 29cm high x 66cm strap

If you know about these natural handwoven bags, you’ll know how precious they are.