Glossary

Materials

Bamboo - The hollow jointed stem of the plant is used to make baskets.  It is a giant woody grass that grows in the tropics.

Canvas - A strong, coarse, cloth made from hemp, flax (or linen), cotton, or a similar yarn. This can come in a variety of colors and patterns.

Cardboard - A stiff, thick, layered, material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses.

Ceramic - Items made from clay that is shaped and molded, and then hardened by heat.

Cloth - A woven or felted fabric made from cotton, wool, or a similar fiber.

Faux Suede - Material finished in a way to imitate the look and feel of suede.

Faux Leather - see "Leatherette"

Fern - A flowerless plant that has feathery or leafy leaves which can be used for basketry.  Fern leaves are similar to bamboo as they are strong and pliable, but are usually darker and not as wide as bamboo. 

Glass - A hard, brittle substance, typically transparent or translucent, made by fusing sand with soda, lime, and sometimes, other ingredients and then cooled rapidly.

Leatherette / Faux Leather - Imitation leather made by covering a fabric base, such as cardboard, with plastic or PVC. The fabric base can be natural or a synthetic fiber.

Maize - A material derived from corn husks. The baskets are made after the stems are dried and then are woven together.

Mesh - It is an interlaced structure or network of wire or thread.

Metal - A material that is hard, shiny, and not brittle. A few examples of metal are tin, aluminum, copper, gold, and iron.

Nylon - A tough, lightweight, elastic polymer with a protein like chemical structure.

Palm - A coarse water resistant fiber from the palm tree.

Paper - The material is produced into thin sheets from the pulp of wood, and comes in a multitude of colors and pattern designs.

Plastic - Synthetic material made from a wide range of natural materials.

Rattan - The thin pliable stems of a palm tree.

Rope - Natural fiber strands twisted together to create a strong cord.

Rush - A plant with hollow or cylindrical stalks.  It is then dried and sometimes dyed and woven together to make the hull of a basket or container.  

Seagrass - This grass-like plant lives in or close to the sea, and usually has a coarse texture. It is woven, but this material has a variety of textures and is very versatile.

Split Willow - The wood is split in half or down the middle to create split willow and give the basket a different style.

Stainless Steel - Any of various steels alloyed with at least 10 percent chromium and sometimes containing other elements and that are resistant to corrosion or rusting associated with exposure to water and moist air.  Stainless steel material can be found on some of our wire baskets.

Tulle - A soft, fine silk, cotton, or nylon material. This is commonly used in clothes, especially dresses.

Vine - A climbing or trailing plant.

Willow - The wood from this tree is used to form wicker.

Wire - Thin flexible metal converted into strands of rod or thread that is woven with other rods to form baskets.

Wood - Material from trees.

Woodchip - Cutting or chipping larger pieces of wood.

Styles

Basket Dish - A tray style basket shaped to encase common casserole sized dish trays.

Bushel - a type of basket style that is reminiscent of farmers who commonly used these type of baskets to haul and measure their dry goods.  Our bushel baskets are typically made with panels of wood chip material to make up the sides, with a flat wood base and metal swing handle.  Bushel is actually a unit of dry volume or capacity in the U.S. Customary System which measures 35.24 liters.  Some other dry goods units in the U.S. Customary System are the peck, crate, and barrel.  

Fluted - A style where the top is larger than the bottom.

Braided - A woven pattern design of the basket.

Buff - A type of finish on a basket that provides a smooth surface.

Eco-Friendly - Baskets that are produced in a way as not to harm the environment.  Eco friendly baskets are made entirely of bio-degradable material and do not contain any metals or plastics. 

Fireside - A style of basket originally designed for storing firewood next to the fireplace.

Fixed Handle - A type of handle that is immovable and stationary.

In Handle - A type of handle that is flush with the basket. Also, called a cutout handle.

Keepsake Storage - Storage items crafted and designed to convey sentimental value.  Usually includes a clasping lock to keep contents inside secure.

Planter - A general planting basket or can be used in displays.  Common characteristics of planter baskets are its ability to retain water, with a hole in the bottom to drain out any excess water that soil cannot absorb.

Ribbed - Horizontal and/or vertical indented lines around the basket, that provides a textured look.

Shopper - A style of basket that isn't shallow and has a overhead handle to make it easy to hold.  Great to keep in stores and boutiques for shoppers or to stage merchandise.

Stained - Coloring a basket by a penetrative dye or chemical.

Swing Handle - The handle is connected to the outside of the basket, and it has the ability to swing or move up or down.  Swing handle baskets have the benefit of a collapsible handle, which allows the baskets to be packaged more easily than other handle baskets without moving handle.

Utility - Useful, especially through being able to perform several functions, in particular for storage and organization. Utility baskets can handle small or large items.

Whitewashed - A mixture of lime and water, which once applied, whitens the appearance of baskets.

Finishes

Metallic – A decorative finish that creates a metallic or sparkle appearance as a result of applying metallic paint to the surface. 

Natural/Undyed –  A finish that does not alter the original color or grain of the wood. It maintains the natural color and look of the material. 

Rustic – A finish that has a simplicity and charm of the countryside, and is usually constructed in a plain and simple fashion.

Gift Packaging Supplies

Cellophane Fill - Thin transparent shreds used to add decoration and color to gift baskets and packaging. Usually made out of viscose.

Cellophane Rolls - A thin transparent wrapping material made from viscose, which can also come in colors.

Excelsior Fill - An Aspen wood shaving, which can be dyed, used as the base for gift basket making.

Fillers - Shreds used to fill in the spaces of packaging items like boxes or baskets.

Raffia - The fiber from the leaves of this palm tree is used to make ribbons, among other items.

Shreds - A strip of material such as paper that has been torn or cut.

Shrink Film - This is a film that wraps around the package by enclosing it in a clinging transparent plastic film that shrinks tightly onto the package.