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The galvanized-steel wire vessel is sturdy and rust-proof — I’ve left mine outside for over a year, and it’s still as good as new. Available in three sizes (which nest together), it’s delicate enough for collecting eggs and strong enough for toting firewood.
The New York Times — Wirecutter
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Meet the Maker
The grandmother started it. Her daughter expanded it. Today a small team of artisans — including Aude, a gifted third-generation craftswoman — carries on the tradition, standing at the same benches, using the same tools, bending wire by feel rather than measurement. They say you can tell a good basket by its sound: the way the wire hums when it’s tensioned correctly.
It is not a factory and never will be. The weavers are a handful of people, many of them neighbors from the village, making a few hundred baskets a year — not a few thousand — because there is no shortcut for hands shaping wire.
My mother never gave me instructions. She put the wire in my hands and said, watch. I watched for two years before she let me finish a basket on my own.
Third-generation basket weaver — Aude, France
The Discovery
Garry spotted a wire basket at a Paris flea market in the early 1980s and spent the rest of the afternoon trying to find out who made it. The vendor didn’t know. Nobody at the market knew. He spent three days following the trail from Paris to a village he’d never heard of, where he found a workshop with the door open and a woman weaving wire in the afternoon light.
He knew within five minutes that he’d found something worth the trip. Not because of the basket — because of the person making it. Someone who cared about the difference between good enough and exactly right. He ordered thirty baskets on the spot. That partnership has held for decades.
The Craft
Every new weaver learns the same six steps: shape the frame by hand until it settles into the right curve. Join the structural ribs at precise intervals. Weave each wire through the ribs row by row. Fit the handle. Smooth every wire end so nothing snags fabric or scratches a countertop. Then inspect the finished basket by hand — if anyone feels a snag, it gets unwoven and started over.
The workshop says it takes about a year before someone can complete all six unsupervised.
The Design
Two full structural layers woven on fixed jigs, not one layer with decorative crossbars. This is what gives each basket its rigidity and load-bearing strength.
Hot-dip galvanized as a complete unit after weaving. The zinc coating bonds to every surface, inside and out. Rinse produce in the basket, leave it in the rain. It will not rust.
Turned from European Beechwood — the traditional choice for French tool handles. Smooth, strong, and naturally comfortable under load. It wears well and will not split.
The small is sized for herbs and eggs. The medium handles a morning’s picking. The large carries a full afternoon’s harvest. All three nest together for compact storage.
The Material
Most garden baskets ask you to choose between durability and convenience. Wicker looks charming but rots. Plastic is waterproof but brittle and graceless. Bare steel is strong but rusts the moment you rinse your tomatoes.
These baskets sidestep the compromise entirely. Leave them out in a rainstorm. They were designed for exactly this kind of use.
The first time I visited that workshop, the mother was still running things. She poured coffee, sat me down, and spent an hour showing me why her baskets were different. I ordered thirty on the spot. Twenty years later, I still have the first one she gave me.
Garry Chinn — Founder, Garrett Wade
Specifications
| Small Basket | 12¾″ L × 8½″ W × 8¼″ D — |
| Medium Basket | 16¾″ L × 10½″ W × 6″ D — |
| Large Basket | 22¾″ L × 14″ W × 7½″ D — |
| Pair (Med + Large) | Both sizes — (save $10) |
| Material | Double-layer galvanized steel wire |
| Handle | European Beechwood, fixed |
| Finish | Hot-dip galvanized (rust-resistant) |
| Origin | Martigné-Ferchaud, France |
| Construction | Hand-woven on fixed jigs |
| Nesting | All three sizes nest for storage |
| Shipping | Ground only — contiguous 48 states |
Common Questions
Three sizes, starting at $49. Hand-woven in France.
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Overall rating: 5.0 / 5 from 35 reviews.
This Small Woven Galvanized Basket from France is ideal for various tasks, including harvesting herbs or tomatoes, and storage of items like hand towels and toiletries. Its perfect size and durable construction make it a versatile addition to any home.
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"At first my husband was not crazy about the baskets (I got small, medium, and large). They are larger than expected. But now he can't stop using them. Perfect for taking our home grown vegetables from our garden to our kitchen. Love them!"
"This is a great basket! solid and well made! Keeps the eggs safe while traversing the coops! Will be great for harvesting in the garden as well."
"Love this piece"
"Great quality. Would definitely recommend this."
"As usual Garrett Wade. delivered on time & met my expectations!"
"Dry sturdy and nicely designed. Anxious to try it out this summer."
"Basket is nice quality, as described and delivered promptly."
"not just for eggs great"
"Great Galvanized woven basket, Well made in France and excellently put together with strong steel and stamped France on the handle. I love my French made items."
"These baskets are both lovely and utilitarian, and were perfect gifts for my gardening husband!"
