Tjanpi Raffia

Tjanpi Raffia is a long fiber made from raffia palm tree, which grows in tropical regions and in wet soil in Madagascar. The raffia fiber is soft, pliable, strong, durable, easy to dye and biodegradable making it an excellent material for weaving baskets, hats, mats, rugs and art and craft.

It is also widely used for agricultural purposes to tie vegetables, plants in vineyards, flowers and floral arrangements.

Collectors go deep into the island to harvest the raffia palm. They strip and dry the freshly cut pale green strand and sun dry them. The dried raffia fibers then turn beige in colour to yield the natural coloured raffia we all know.

The harvest of the raffia palm is limited from June to October each year to allow the branches of the raffia palm trees to regrow before the start of the next harvest season.

A percentage of all raffia sales goes to support these foundations, Tjanpi Desert Weavers and NPY womens council.