About the weaving…
The kingdom of Swaziland is home to some of the oldest granite mountains in the world. A wiry sedge grass grows in the cracks of granite and is harvested by local Swazi women, who call the hardy grass Lutindzi. Too wiry and inaccessible to be foraged by cattle, Lutindzi has been, for centuries, plaited into rope for tying down roof thatching. Swazi girls grow up learning the proper plaiting technique at their mothers’ sides, and as they mature, learn to stitch the plaits together to create exquisite floor mats and tableware.

Gone Rural
Gone Rural, a company dedicated to the creation of a grass weaving and plaiting industry in Swaziland, lies nestled in the picturesque Malkerns Valley. The company provides an invaluable craft export infrastructure that allows hundreds of rural Swazi weavers and potters to earn a good living from their craftwork. By empowering Swazi women to generate income from readily-available, sustainable natural materials, Gone Rural helps fuel Swaziland’s fight against poverty and HIV/AIDS through a sensible, grassroots approach.