Dimensions: Top length 40cm, bottom length 27cm, body height 26cm, hand strap length 19cm in inches: Top length 15.8"/bottom length 10.6"/body height 10.2"/hand strap length 7.4"

This cute shoulder bag is 100% handmade from organic water hyacinth. Perfect choice for vacation on the beach, party or shopping.

Since every product is hand-made upon order, please allow 2-7 business days for us to make the product after the payment and get it ready for shipment. We have a variety of rugs, cushions, tables, chairs and more weaved and plaited from cattails, cornhusk and reeds. Discover other products here:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/GrasShanghai

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Discover the traditional process behind these ancient techniques…

The technique of weaving and plaiting using cattails as raw material is not known to everyone. In fact, a little county of Hubin in northern China is the only place in the country where you can still discover this craft.

1. Collection of raw materials
In summer, men from the countryside will go together to collect the cattails that grow in shallow waters of the lakes, rivers and wetlands, where the environment has been preserved in its pristine state.

2. Preparation of materials
When transported from the wild to the villages, women of the family will then take the fresh grass and lay them out in front of the houses or on the country road to dry them out by natural sunlight. The dried plants will be carefully filtered according to quality, and then stored in the farmers’ houses.

3. Weaving and plaiting:
Every day, women will take out some small portion of the plant and soak it in clean water so that it is soft enough for weaving. For women in Hubin, it is their way of living: rise early to make breakfast for the family, then those in the neighborhood will gather in a chosen woman’s house or in the Hutong (a traditional Chinese alleyway) to work together, weaving all kinds of crafts from cattails. While working, they bond – talking, laughing and gossiping. This tradition is passed from mothers to daughters, making the women of Hubin both financially independent and socially bonded.

By buying only one of the hand-made artifacts produced by the locals in days-long, diligent work, you will support our movement to maintain one piece of China's rich and beautiful tradition.