Gama Natural Basket 50cm

A hand-woven seagrass and raffia storage basket with bright coastal character

Of all the natural fibres used for woven baskets, seagrass is the one with the most distinctive personality. It catches light differently from bark or jute — brighter, almost golden in tone — and it carries a particular texture that signals coastal styling more clearly than any other material. Where banana bark and rattan can read as rustic or earthy, seagrass reads as breezy, light, and effortlessly Mediterranean. For homes shaped around natural light, soft palettes and a coastal sensibility, a seagrass basket is the kind of piece that anchors the whole material vocabulary of the room.

The Gama Natural Basket is hand-woven from a premium blend of seagrass and soft raffia. Standing at 50 cm tall on a 31 × 31 cm base, it occupies a particularly useful middle ground in basket sizing — substantial enough to hold a generous volume of contents, compact enough to fit comfortably anywhere in the home. The weave pattern uses contrasting bands of fibre to create visual rhythm across the surface, and the sturdy integrated handles on either side make it genuinely portable from room to room.

The character of seagrass and raffia

Seagrass and raffia together produce a lighter, brighter result than any single-fibre basket. Three things about this combination are worth knowing.

Seagrass is naturally light-toned and golden. Harvested from coastal wetlands and dried in the sun, seagrass has a warm, pale-gold colour that makes the basket read as bright rather than rustic. It picks up natural light from windows and lamps in a way that darker fibres do not, which is why seagrass baskets are particularly suited to rooms with good natural light — the basket acts as a soft reflector rather than absorbing the surrounding tones.

Raffia adds tactile softness. Raffia comes from the leaves of the raffia palm, and it is naturally softer and more pliable than seagrass. Woven through and around the structural seagrass elements, it gives the basket a tactile warmth and prevents the form from feeling overly rigid. The two fibres complement each other — seagrass provides the bright coastal character and the structural shape, raffia softens the texture and binds the weave.

Both materials are sustainably harvested and renewable. Seagrass and raffia are both fast-growing natural fibres harvested without harm to the parent plants — seagrass beds regrow seasonally, and raffia palms continue producing leaves for decades after harvesting begins. For buyers thinking about the environmental footprint of decor purchases, hand-woven natural-fibre baskets are among the most genuinely sustainable storage options available.

Why the mid-size silhouette works

At 50 cm tall, the Gama sits in the most versatile basket size category — large enough to be useful, small enough to fit anywhere. Three practical things about this scale.

It holds enough to be functional. A 50 cm basket comfortably accommodates a folded throw, a small load of laundry, a stack of magazines, a few cushions, or several rolled towels. Smaller baskets become token storage; larger baskets dominate corners. The Gama holds a meaningful volume without taking over the space around it.

It fits where larger baskets cannot. The 31 cm base is narrow enough to slot between furniture, beside a couch, against a wall, or in a smaller bathroom or bedroom — places where a 60 cm-wide basket would crowd the space. That flexibility is part of why mid-size baskets get used and re-used across years.

The handles transform fixed storage into portable storage. Sturdy integrated handles mean the basket lifts easily when the floor needs cleaning, when contents need to be moved between rooms, or when seasonal storage rotates in and out. Handles are one of the most underrated practical features in storage decor — they turn a beautiful basket into a genuinely useful one.

What to pair the Gama basket with

The bright seagrass character and mid-size scale set up specific pairings across the Sotran range.

With other woven and natural-fibre pieces. The Gama works as a coordinated companion to other pieces in the Baskets range — combining a tall basket for blanket storage, the Gama for everyday use, and a smaller basket for accent items creates a curated three-basket cluster at varying heights. The full Beach Cottage styling range uses similar natural-material vocabulary for a coherent look.

Beside seating in a coastal-leaning lounge. Positioned next to a sofa or armchair from the Couches range, the Gama holds magazines, a folded throw, or everyday items that need somewhere to live. Pair it with pieces from the Throws and Cushions ranges for a styled, lived-in look.

As a planter for medium indoor greenery. Drop a 28-30 cm ceramic pot inside and use the basket as a planter for a fern, fiddle leaf or feature houseplant. Combined with pieces from the Artificial Plants range, you get the look of a styled greenery corner with none of the maintenance.

In a bedroom for soft storage. The Gama works beautifully in a bedroom alongside pieces from the Bedside Pedestals or Dressers & Drawers ranges. Holds spare pillows, folded blankets or any soft items you want accessible but tucked away.

In a bathroom for towels and styling. The natural fibres handle bathroom humidity comfortably. Position alongside pieces from the Bathroom range for a spa-quality look — rolled towels in the basket, natural-material accessories on the vanity, soft cotton textiles around the room.

Caring for a hand-woven natural basket

One of the practical pleasures of natural-fibre storage is how little maintenance it actually needs. The Gama is built for everyday use and only asks for the lightest care to keep looking its best for years. Dust the exterior occasionally with a soft, dry cloth or a soft-bristle brush — the brush is particularly useful for lifting any settled dust from the woven texture and contrasting bands. For the interior, a gentle vacuum with the soft brush attachment lifts dust and any small debris from the base.

For any marks on the exterior, spot-clean gently with a barely damp cloth and a small amount of mild soap if needed, then allow the basket to air-dry naturally. The basket is built for dry storage rather than wet contents — if used as an indoor planter, slip a waterproof saucer or liner under the pot to keep the fibres protected and the floor below dry.

Position the basket out of prolonged direct sunlight to preserve the warmth of the seagrass tones over the years. Lift the basket by the handles to move it rather than dragging — the sturdy handles are designed for exactly this purpose. With this minimal care, a hand-woven seagrass and raffia basket becomes one of those quietly useful pieces that earns its place in a home for the long term.