How to Care for Handwoven Art

Every color in every piece — the terracotta reds from achiote seeds, the deep blacks from jagua fruit, the yellows from turmeric root, the earth tones from trumpet vine and cocobolo bark — is a vegetal dye. Like any natural dye used in handmade textiles worldwide, these pigments will fade with prolonged direct sunlight exposure. This is not a defect. It is the nature of plant-based color, and it is the same reason museums control light exposure for tapestries, quilts, and woven art of every tradition.

The rule is simple: no sustained direct sunlight. Bright rooms with indirect light are perfect. These pieces thrive in the same conditions you would choose for a fine handmade rug or antique textile.

Handwoven pieces are structurally strong — these are objects made to be used in their home communities. But they benefit from mindful handling.

Do: Support baskets from the base when lifting — not the rim. Handle Ticuna figures by the wooden base, not the bark cloth. Use both hands for large pieces. Clean hands before handling light-colored natural fibers.

Avoid: Gripping baskets by a single edge — this distributes stress unevenly. Stacking heavy objects on top of or inside baskets. Pulling on the fibers of Ghana elephant grass hairy textures. Touching painted surfaces of Ticuna figures with oily or damp hands.

Storage: If you need to store pieces temporarily — during a move, renovation, or seasonal rotation — wrap each piece individually in acid-free tissue paper or clean, unbleached cotton. Avoid plastic bags or sealed containers, which trap moisture. Store in a cool, dry place with stable temperature. For tall Agaseke baskets, store upright — never on their sides, which can distort the form over time.