THE BRAND ORIGINS
Recycling at its Best
Set up in 2015, Mowgs baskets are handmade by a group of community artisans from Myanmar villages using traditional weaving skills that have been passed down through the generations.
Through travelling in Asia in 2014, owner Michal discovered a remote farming village in Myanmar. Due to the rainy season, the farmers were unable to do field work, so the villagers were found weaving baskets instead. However, much to Michal’s surprise, they were not traditional cane baskets…
These Myanmar villages had been impacted with problems of pollution from material waste. Rather than weaving with cane, the villagers had collected plastic strapping and were recycling this waste to create beautiful baskets. Without realising it, this community of weavers had given new life to an otherwise useless material.
Bright and bold with colourful patterns and defined textures, the baskets have been designed to strike a perfect balance between style and practicality. With techniques reflecting their heritage and creative way of life, the weavers have turned plastic packaging tape into a fashionable, functional and ethical accessory.
From Plastic to Basket
Behind the Baskets
The support that Mowgs has provided to the weaving villages in Myanmar since 2015 has allowed these communities to flourish.
The villages are extremely remote and inaccessible by car which promotes an incredibly self-sufficient and resourceful community. With a huge amount of investment into the villages, as well as into the individual workers and their families, Mowgs has encouraged a better standard of living. The artisan community has seen the development of houses and better living conditions, and each weaver is paid Fair Trade wages for their work (higher than the local market value). Mowgs also provides the means and materials for education and has supported the schooling of many children over the years.
Since Mowgs Baskets were introduced to the rest of the world they have gained an increasing level of recognition in the fashion and accessory industry, featuring in British Vogue and Sunday Times Magazine. The Baskets are available worldwide through stockists in almost every continent, with shipments to America, Japan and countries throughout Europe.
What's in a Name?
The name of the accessory brand comes from owner Michal’s childhood dog, Mowgli. The unique name felt especially fitting for the incredibly unique baskets.
Reflecting the passion that goes into every basket and Michal’s love for the artisan communities and culture, the Mowgs logo was designed using heart motifs. Bold colours were used to represent the colourful one-of-a-kind baskets that the artisans create. Keyrings were also playfully designed to imitate dog tags, and each Mowgs basket comes complete with one.
As homage to Mowgs and its origins, the villagers even created papier-mâché dogs for the brand, with papier-mâché items often created as children’s toys in Myanmar.
MOWGS LTD Registered in England & Wales 9791210 VAT No GB 223 219 834
MOWGS ® is a registered trademark TM
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