Add RecipientWood Salad Servers with Batiked Bone Handles
Using only rudimentary hand tools, including pocket knives, screwdrivers, and hammers for chiseling, the artisans of Jedando Handcrafts in central Kenya turn blocks of olive wood into beautifully carved salad serving sets. The handles of the set are carved from bone reclaimed from food waste and then dyed with African patterns. The set is approximately 28 cm long.
- The pattern on the handle is made by drawing wax patterns on the bone, dipping the bone in permanent dye and removing the wax, a art form known as batik. The pattern on the servers may vary from the image.
- Because olive wood is known as being a highly-grained wood, each server will have many burls and rich colors.
- No two sets are alike as the napkin rings are handcarved and handpainted and the mahogany wood has dark and light patterns.
- The servers are food-safe. To ensure the longevity of the servers, we suggest wiping them with a vegetable oil if they go unused for a long period.
- This is a fair trade product. All persons involved in its production were paid a fair wage.
- Handwash in mild soap if necessary.
About the Artisan
Jedando Modern Handicrafts is a Kenyan organization that works with individual carvers in Machakos, Kenya creating functional products. Carving is a tradition in Kenya with the children learning the craft from their parents. Carved by hand using only rudimentary hand tools, olive wood bowls, salad serving sets, and animal-shaped napkin rings take shape from pieces of olive wood, mahogany, and mpingo, or "African Ebony." An integral part of the organization's function is to educate the craftspeople on the need for reforestation to enable the products to be available for years to come and offer a sustainable income for generations. While wood carving provides the major income for many in the Machakos area, other craftspeople earn a living by further enhancing the