Frequently Asked Questions

Natural fibre only. Asama weaves water hyacinth, bamboo and cane. Wicker is not a material, it is the process of weaving natural fibre by twisting, braiding or coiling it.

Most pieces are primarily water hyacinth, with bamboo or cane worked in. Cane is used as a support structure inside some pieces so a hyacinth basket holds its shape and stays sturdier.

Ninety artisans in Alimur, a village in Dibrugarh district, Assam. 95 percent of the artisans and staff are women.

Production runs from a central facility in the village that holds the tools and support materials. The rest of the weaving is done by the artisan at home, so she can tend to her household and earn a living as well.

Every piece is handmade by weaving natural fibre, so yes. The main fibre goes further than that: water hyacinth is a weed that spreads across a water body as a green canopy until it harms the biodiversity below. Asama plucks it out, which helps the water body recover, and weaves the dried stems.

This year Asama cleared 5 large water bodies of hyacinth, employing local workers to do the pulling.

Hyacinth is a strong fibre and a very flexible one. It is soft and spongy rather than rigid, so it is braided as a whole stalk or flattened first. Where a piece needs to hold a firm shape, cane is woven in as a support structure.

Yes. Asama caters to bulk requirements across India. If your requirement is for more than 20 pieces there is a special rate, and customisation can be done as well.

Send the details through the bulk order page, or call or WhatsApp Richika on +91 94351 30314 or Noopur on +91 88227 53491.

Wipe it with a slightly damp cloth so dust does not build up in the corners and cracks. Put it out in the sun now and then, especially just before and after the monsoon. Use white vinegar on a cotton cloth occasionally to stop mould building up and keep pests away. A dry paintbrush or nailbrush lifts dust out of the weave.

Adding it to your cleaning routine every three to four weeks is enough.

In inches. Rectangular and square pieces are written as length x breadth x height. Round planters are written as bottom diameter x top diameter x height, and round trays and baskets as diameter x height.

The size guide has the full chart in inches and centimetres.

Close, not identical. Every piece is woven by hand from a natural fibre that varies in shade, so the colour and the weave will differ a little from one piece to the next. That variation is the point of a handwoven object rather than a fault in it.