Reviving a Lost Craft, One Willow Basket at a Time.

Mike Lilian is a self-taught basketmaker whose work blends deep historical research with material mastery. Leaving behind his job as a postman, Mike devoted himself to reviving the endangered craft of willow basketry after discovering a single photograph in an encyclopaedia. He taught himself the techniques through books, trial and error, and time spent with Canterbury’s Cooperite community before refining his practice in France at the Coopérative de Vannerie.

Now based on his own willow farm in Kakanui, Mike grows, harvests, and hand-weaves every basket using traditional tools and heritage techniques like fitching. Each piece is a study in precision and patience, shaped by a genuine commitment to preserving this centuries-old craft.