Wicker Baskets

Wicker Baskets Add Warmth To Retail Interiors

Traditional wicker baskets are crafted from natural willow, a common plant used for weaving the intricate patterns we all know and see in trays, bins, and baskets. The warm color of dried willow is a natural choice for decorating interiors, especially in retail establishments. Proprietors want to provide a comfortable shopping experience for customers and many of them do this by displaying and presenting their merchandise in these attractive containers.

Wicker baskets are typically made from two materials: natural willow or polypropylene plastic. Yes, the ancient practice of weaving natural fibers has been copied by today’s modern manufacturing techniques. Natural willow baskets are handmade by artisans and each basket is unique. No two are exactly alike. The brown willow fibers add warmth to interiors, thanks to their natural handcrafted appearance. Although these baskets are crafted from naturally occurring materials, the intricate weavings can support many times their weight. However, under severe stress they can splinter and break.

Conversely, wicker baskets manufactured out of polypropylene plastic are machine made and each basket is an exact copy of the one made before it. The plastic fibers, colored to match the warm browns of real wicker, are woven around a wire frame, providing stability and making them more forgiving in the event of outside forces. The bendable wire frame enables the basket to be brought back to its original appearance if it gets stretched out of shape. Polypropylene baskets also tend to be slightly less expensive than their natural willow counterparts, but both styles look identical when viewed from a distance.

One of the biggest differences between the two materials has to do with how they are cleaned. Natural willow baskets cannot be submerged in water due to the possibility of mold. These wicker baskets require dry cleaning with a brush or compressed air to get dust and dirt out from all the nooks and crannies. On the other hand, the polypropylene baskets can be easily washed for sanitary reasons. They are the better choice of the two when it comes to food service.

Wicker baskets, in either real willow or plastic, come in all sorts of sizes and styles. Small trays help to organize breads, candy, condiments, and other small trinkets in the marketplace and they accent the items for sale attractively. Trays are typically seen in grocery stores, bakeries, and retail shops. Round storage baskets can display baguettes, wrapping paper, umbrellas, and other types of awkward merchandise.

Wicker baskets can add warm styling to old-fashioned as well as modern interiors. They perform the same tasks as metal bins but look much better in application. Wicker baskets have been around for centuries and even though they are being re-produced in different materials today, there will always be a place for the natural willow wicker basket.

About the Author

Marcus Miglio works with point-of-purchase displays in Marketing, Engineering, and New Product Development capacities. His work experience began in 1985 and is currently employed at George Patton Associates, Inc. in Rhode Island.

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