This basket is woven from Kok, a type of grass that grows naturally around marshy areas in Thailand. On this page, we introduce two circle-shaped baskets with handles on both sides of the rim— a shallow small size and a deeper large size.
Most of the artisans are women between their 30s and 70s, working in village groups or with their families to carry on the craft of basket weaving.
While there are also male artisans, most of them primarily work in agriculture and help with Kok weaving only during busy production periods.
As with Krajood weaving, young artisans are still few. However, the value of natural material products like these is being rediscovered in Thailand, and more young people are beginning to appreciate and use these baskets.
Kok is thoroughly sun-dried after harvesting.After drying, The Kok is woven using gozame-ami, a technique where horizontal stalks are woven alternately over and under vertical ones. The weave has a rustic, relaxed feel.While Kok basket bags are typically made using twisted ropes, this piece is woven with the material in its natural form.A wooden frame is used to guide the shape as the basket is built up from the base.The rim is secured by weaving in the same stalks used to construct the body.Here is the basket seen from above.The handles are also made from Kok. Several strands are braided together to form the grip.This is the underside of the basket. The bottom is woven tightly with minimal gaps.The small and large sizes can be nested like this.Now, let us introduce them one by one.This is the shallow small size.Shown here being used as a fruit stock basket.This is the deeper large size.Here, the large size is used for storing root vegetables.
This handled basket has a gentle, open mouth and just the right depth.
It may serve as a tool basket for gardening tools like trowels or pruning shears. It’s also great for holding freshly harvested vegetables, or as a cover for a plant pot. You can use it to store food, keep slippers by the door, or organize everyday items.
We recommend keeping the basket in a well-ventilated indoor space where humidity does not accumulate. Instead of placing it directly on the floor, try keeping it on a higher shelf. If you live in a two-story home, the second floor is preferable to the ground floor.
With its gentle texture and light feel, this Kok basket is a pleasure to hold. We hope you’ll enjoy using it in many different settings.
About Kok Craft in Thailand
The grass known as “Kok” in Thai is a member of the sedge family that grows naturally in wetlands. It is believed to be a type of grass also known in Japan as “suge,” a name shared by thousands of species worldwide.
In Japan, suge is traditionally used to make hats, straw raincoats, and ropes. Similarly, Kok in Thailand can be twisted by hand to create strong cords for craftwork.
Kok can be harvested year-round in Thailand, though it is said that better-quality grass is obtained outside of the dry season (January to April).
Processing methods vary—some use thick stems that are split to different widths for weaving, others twist stems into ropes before weaving, peel them into thin sheets for wrapping, or shave them down. It is a material known for its flexibility in use. Basket bags are shaped using wooden molds, while mats and similar items are woven entirely by hand without molds.
The pieces introduced here are made in “Isan,” a broad highland region at about 200 meters elevation in northeastern Thailand, known for its gentle undulating terrain.
Southern Isan – Buriram Province, which borders Cambodia
Northern Isan – Nakhon Phanom Province, along the Mekong River, bordering Laos
This basket is woven from Kok, a type of grass that grows naturally around marshy areas in Thailand. On this page, we introduce two circle-shaped baskets with handles on both sides of the rim— a shallow small size and a deeper large size.
Most of the artisans are women between their 30s and 70s, working in village groups or with their families to carry on the craft of basket weaving.
While there are also male artisans, most of them primarily work in agriculture and help with Kok weaving only during busy production periods.
As with Krajood weaving, young artisans are still few. However, the value of natural material products like these is being rediscovered in Thailand, and more young people are beginning to appreciate and use these baskets.
Kok is thoroughly sun-dried after harvesting.After drying, The Kok is woven using gozame-ami, a technique where horizontal stalks are woven alternately over and under vertical ones. The weave has a rustic, relaxed feel.While Kok basket bags are typically made using twisted ropes, this piece is woven with the material in its natural form.A wooden frame is used to guide the shape as the basket is built up from the base.The rim is secured by weaving in the same stalks used to construct the body.Here is the basket seen from above.The handles are also made from Kok. Several strands are braided together to form the grip.This is the underside of the basket. The bottom is woven tightly with minimal gaps.The small and large sizes can be nested like this.Now, let us introduce them one by one.This is the shallow small size.Shown here being used as a fruit stock basket.This is the deeper large size.Here, the large size is used for storing root vegetables.
This handled basket has a gentle, open mouth and just the right depth.
It may serve as a tool basket for gardening tools like trowels or pruning shears. It’s also great for holding freshly harvested vegetables, or as a cover for a plant pot. You can use it to store food, keep slippers by the door, or organize everyday items.
We recommend keeping the basket in a well-ventilated indoor space where humidity does not accumulate. Instead of placing it directly on the floor, try keeping it on a higher shelf. If you live in a two-story home, the second floor is preferable to the ground floor.
With its gentle texture and light feel, this Kok basket is a pleasure to hold. We hope you’ll enjoy using it in many different settings.
About Kok Craft in Thailand
The grass known as “Kok” in Thai is a member of the sedge family that grows naturally in wetlands. It is believed to be a type of grass also known in Japan as “suge,” a name shared by thousands of species worldwide.
In Japan, suge is traditionally used to make hats, straw raincoats, and ropes. Similarly, Kok in Thailand can be twisted by hand to create strong cords for craftwork.
Kok can be harvested year-round in Thailand, though it is said that better-quality grass is obtained outside of the dry season (January to April).
Processing methods vary—some use thick stems that are split to different widths for weaving, others twist stems into ropes before weaving, peel them into thin sheets for wrapping, or shave them down. It is a material known for its flexibility in use. Basket bags are shaped using wooden molds, while mats and similar items are woven entirely by hand without molds.
The pieces introduced here are made in “Isan,” a broad highland region at about 200 meters elevation in northeastern Thailand, known for its gentle undulating terrain.
Southern Isan – Buriram Province, which borders Cambodia
Northern Isan – Nakhon Phanom Province, along the Mekong River, bordering Laos
This basket is woven from Kok, a type of grass that grows naturally around marshy areas in Thailand. On this page, we introduce two circle-shaped baskets with handles on both sides of the rim— a shallow small size and a deeper large size.
Most of the artisans are women between their 30s and 70s, working in village groups or with their families to carry on the craft of basket weaving.
While there are also male artisans, most of them primarily work in agriculture and help with Kok weaving only during busy production periods.
As with Krajood weaving, young artisans are still few. However, the value of natural material products like these is being rediscovered in Thailand, and more young people are beginning to appreciate and use these baskets.
Kok is thoroughly sun-dried after harvesting.After drying, The Kok is woven using gozame-ami, a technique where horizontal stalks are woven alternately over and under vertical ones. The weave has a rustic, relaxed feel.While Kok basket bags are typically made using twisted ropes, this piece is woven with the material in its natural form.A wooden frame is used to guide the shape as the basket is built up from the base.The rim is secured by weaving in the same stalks used to construct the body.Here is the basket seen from above.The handles are also made from Kok. Several strands are braided together to form the grip.This is the underside of the basket. The bottom is woven tightly with minimal gaps.The small and large sizes can be nested like this.Now, let us introduce them one by one.This is the shallow small size.Shown here being used as a fruit stock basket.This is the deeper large size.Here, the large size is used for storing root vegetables.
This handled basket has a gentle, open mouth and just the right depth.
It may serve as a tool basket for gardening tools like trowels or pruning shears. It’s also great for holding freshly harvested vegetables, or as a cover for a plant pot. You can use it to store food, keep slippers by the door, or organize everyday items.
We recommend keeping the basket in a well-ventilated indoor space where humidity does not accumulate. Instead of placing it directly on the floor, try keeping it on a higher shelf. If you live in a two-story home, the second floor is preferable to the ground floor.
With its gentle texture and light feel, this Kok basket is a pleasure to hold. We hope you’ll enjoy using it in many different settings.
About Kok Craft in Thailand
The grass known as “Kok” in Thai is a member of the sedge family that grows naturally in wetlands. It is believed to be a type of grass also known in Japan as “suge,” a name shared by thousands of species worldwide.
In Japan, suge is traditionally used to make hats, straw raincoats, and ropes. Similarly, Kok in Thailand can be twisted by hand to create strong cords for craftwork.
Kok can be harvested year-round in Thailand, though it is said that better-quality grass is obtained outside of the dry season (January to April).
Processing methods vary—some use thick stems that are split to different widths for weaving, others twist stems into ropes before weaving, peel them into thin sheets for wrapping, or shave them down. It is a material known for its flexibility in use. Basket bags are shaped using wooden molds, while mats and similar items are woven entirely by hand without molds.
The pieces introduced here are made in “Isan,” a broad highland region at about 200 meters elevation in northeastern Thailand, known for its gentle undulating terrain.
Southern Isan – Buriram Province, which borders Cambodia
Northern Isan – Nakhon Phanom Province, along the Mekong River, bordering Laos
