Sustainability at YAADU – From the savanna to your home

Our responsibility

At YAADU, sustainability begins where everything originates: on site, with the people.

Our baskets and products are created through a holistic process that respects people, environment, and culture. From the wild savannah grass in Senegal to the plastic-free packaging in Germany, we pay attention to every detail: fair, transparent, and as resource-conserving as possible.

It is not just about materials – but above all about impact. Because true sustainability means for us: fair working conditions, lasting perspectives, and products that last a long time – and in doing so, tell stories.

How a YAADU basket is made and the path it takes, we show you step by step:

Every basket tells a story: of people, nature, and responsibility

Step 1: Harvesting the savanna grass

📍 Location: Casamance, Senegal

In the fertile Casamance region in the south of Senegal, the wild savanna grass grows, which forms the basis for our baskets. The grass is harvested by experienced farmers by hand – without the use of machines or chemicals. The close cooperation with the farmers enables a sustainable use of the natural resources and at the same time secures them a reliable income.

Step 2: Recycling process of the colored ribbons

📍 Location: Dakar Region, Senegal
Collaboration with recycling factory

For the colored strips of our baskets, we work with a local recycling factory in the Dakar Region. There, old tires, PET bottles, and food packaging are collected and processed in an upcycling process into durable, colorful plastic strips. Instead of ending up in the trash , these materials are transformed into a new, meaningful product – thus contributing to the reduction of waste and the sustainable strengthening of local cycles.

♻️ What is Upcycling?


In upcycling, used materials are not only recycled but transformed into higher-quality products. Thus, waste, like an old water bottle, becomes a beautiful laundry basket for your bathroom – creative, sustainable, and resource-saving.

Step 3: Braiding in Community Work

📍 Location: Ngaye Region, Senegal

In the Ngaye Region, over 40 women weave our baskets with careful handcraft. Often, entire families work together on it – sometimes even three generations at the same time: grandmother, mother, and daughter. Each basket is a genuine unique piece, made with patience, skill, and decades of experience.

For the women, weaving means more than just work: It creates a regular income – and thus real independence. They can send their children to school, pay for medical care, and provide clothing and enough food. This change goes far beyond each individual basket – it changes lives.

Step 4: Quality Control & Preparation

📍 Location: On-site warehouse in Senegal


After weaving, each basket is individually inspected, cleaned, and marked with the YAADU logo. Baskets with small defects are not discarded but lovingly reworked – nothing is lost at YAADU. Only when everything fits are the baskets prepared for shipping.

Step 5: Transport to Germany

📍 Location: Warehouse in Dortmund


About every six weeks we ship a container with baskets to Germany. Our logistics partner CMA-CGM ensures a safe transport. In Dortmund a further quality check takes place – and afterwards the baskets set off plastic-free and climate-friendly via DHL or UPS on their way to our customers.

Step 6: Durable & Valuable

📍 Location: Everywhere people love our baskets


Our baskets are not only beautiful but also robust: With good care, they easily last over 10 years and longer. And even after that, they are far too valuable to throw away – they can be reused, repaired, or even redesigned. This way, the story of a YAADU basket stays alive – far beyond production.

Where do our products come from?

Our products tell stories – of people, traditions, and places that have shaped us.

Whether Fonio from the hometown of Thierno Barry - one of our founders - in Guinea, handwoven baskets from the Ngaye region in Senegal or colorful blankets from South Africa: Each piece is created in close collaboration with local partners, families, and communities.

We know the people behind our products personally – and we believe that fair, transparent partnerships are the best way to true sustainability

With every purchase, you support families locally in Africa!