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Cavaillon
Weaving baskets from local fibers is not only the most widely practiced craft in Haiti but also the one most directly linked to local consumption. Baskets for the international market were big business in Haiti until competition from Asia combined with political upheaval and natural disasters brought all exports to an almost complete halt. Some of the most productive basket producers have not had orders from abroad for as much as a generation, and formerly flourishing skills are fast disappearing. Fortunately, there has been renewed interest from an innovative circle of international buyers, traditional designs have been re-interpreted, and new designs have been created by Aid to Artisans’ international product development specialists.Cavallon is a mountainous region in South Haiti where the community lives off of local crops and basket making, perdominantly donkey saddle bags. There are 15 women who are making the woven strips, swatches and 10 women to sew the baskets.
