Tucumã: Rediscovering Amazonian Weaving

In late 2019, Belgian designer Ysaline Ophoff embarked on a journey that would profoundly reshape her understanding of craft, design, and the deep connection between people and nature. Her destination was the Brazilian Amazon, where she spent months immersed in the daily life of the basket weavers of Tucumã, a small river community in Pará. In this world of ancient craftsmanship, Ysaline found more than just a technique—she discovered a way of life deeply rooted in nature and passed down through generations of artisans.

For Ysaline, weaving became much more than a skill. It revealed layers of knowledge embedded in every fiber, carrying the wisdom of the forest, the technical mastery of working with natural materials, and the social fabric that binds the community together. In Tucumã, weaving is not simply a craft, but a tradition that intertwines history and environment.

The artisans of Tucumã work with what the forest provides—fibers from Tucumã and Açaí palms, which they harvest sustainably, without harming the trees. For these weavers, each basket is a preservation of tradition, knowledge, and the delicate balance between their community and the natural world. Every piece reflects generations of understanding: the knowledge of plants, the patience in the process, and the communal spirit of creation.

As Ysaline immersed herself in this ancient practice, she began to see basket weaving as a profound expression of both culture and ecology. The act of weaving became a way of preserving stories—stories about the land, the people, and their relationship with nature. It’s a tradition at risk of being lost in a world increasingly dominated by mass production and industrial processes, making the preservation of this craft even more urgent.

Inspired by the artisans and their deep respect for tradition, Ysaline created Tucumã—a collection of sculptural baskets, lampshades, and vases that honor Amazonian craftsmanship while incorporating her own design perspective. The collection is not simply a reproduction of traditional forms but a response to a larger question she encountered during her time in Tucumã: How can these techniques evolve and adapt in a world that’s so far removed from the slow, intentional craft of the Amazon?

The answer came in the form of reimagining materials. Ysaline began experimenting with discarded vineyard ropes. This fusion of traditional techniques with modern, repurposed materials not only preserved the artisans' craftsmanship but also addressed contemporary environmental concerns such as waste and overproduction.

Tucumã became her way of translating the beauty and poetry of the Amazon into tangible forms. In a world dominated by rapid production and waste, slowing down to honor traditional crafts fosters ecological awareness and reconnects us with nature.

“At the end of 2019, I went to the Brazilian Amazon for a few months, where I surrounded myself with local basket weavers. That journey made a real impression on me and inspired me to bring different stories together. The story of Tucumã, a small river community in Pará, where the inhabitants live in and with nature, and where the indigenous culture and traditions are still deeply rooted. The story of an ancient craft and how it is passed down verbally in all its layering: from plant knowledge and technical know-how to the social value of being together and creating together. The story of a search for how these traditional basket-weaving techniques can be applied today. ”