- DANYÉ is developping little by litlle few pieces of handmade design pieces of Unique Small furniture.
Only the most skilled artisans among the more than 2.000 Batonga women (from northern Zimbabwe) that DANYÉ collaborates, are able to create pieces of greater size and complexity.
Each piece begins with an iron frame, around which it is woven using their traditional skills. Every item is unique, featuring the design the artisan envisions in the moment of creation. The material used is the leaf of the Ilala palm, native to the region. A portion of the community’s income is reinvested in planting new palms, ensuring a sustainable source of raw material.
The artisans oversee every step of the process themselves, from harvesting the leaves to dyeing them when color is required, and weaving each piece entirely by hand.
The production of a 60 cm high Safari table, for example, can take up to a month.
- The Grass Floormats Collection is permanent collection, that has been part of DANYÉ since its beginnings in 2006.
Each piece is handmade with lutindzi grass from the mountains of Eswatini. Strong yet soft to the touch, this natural fiber makes it possible to create all kinds of products, even floormats.
Harvesting this invasive grass not only provides the raw material for weaving, but also helps preserve forests and crops.
The women artisans DANYÉ works with, live in rural areas. They walk for hours to collect the grass, carrying the heavy bundles back on their heads. The weaving takes place at home or outdoors, sometimes under the shade of a tree, in the company of other women from their community. Once completed, the products are delivered to a local meeting point.
A 2-meter floormat can weigh more than 10 kg. and is carried normally by just one woman. That is why DANYÉ does not produce larger sizes.
Each piece embodies not only craftsmanship, but also strength, dedication, and tradition.
