Rope Coil Vs Woven Baskets: What's The Difference And Which Should You Choose?

If you're sick of new products' "planned obsolescence," which has you replacing them way more frequently than you should, pause and consider the basket. These handcrafted containers have been around for millennia, and the process is even thought to predate pottery. How many do you have in your home, and do you know anything about how they're made? Chances are you have a few kinds tucked into corners and sitting on shelves. But broadly speaking, most baskets fall into two main categories: woven and coiled.

Oftentimes, woven baskets are made from natural materials, like wicker and grass, that are (as the name suggests) woven over and under a structural frame. However, this type of basket can also be made from any kind of pliable material combined with a more rigid one as a frame. Meanwhile, although coiled rope baskets can be made from natural materials, you'll also see them made with yarn, using strips repurposed from old clothing, and other upcycled finds. These styles of baskets are made by tightly coiling a rope or other long strip of durable material along a spiral base. Then, by sewing the coiled rows together, you can build and shape the basket as you work.

If you're picturing these sorts of baskets, or even looking at one in your current room, you can imagine how different these basketry techniques both look and function. Your stereotypical basket woven from natural fibers lends an old-fashioned and timeless, even rustic feel to a room. By contrast, coiled rope baskets often look more sleek and modern than woven ones, but they can also meld nicely with boho decor, depending on the material.

So, which type of basket is more stylish at the moment, and which is more useful? Well, that depends on your design tastes and what you're planning on using the basket for. After all, there are endless ways to style baskets in every part of your home — even if they're storing the most mundane things.

If your home is full of modern touches, coiled rope in the right color may be your best choice. This is especially true if they're machine-sewn, which makes the sides of coiled rope baskets smoother and gives them a less noticeable texture compared to many woven baskets. On the other end of the design spectrum, maximalist or boho spaces will welcome colorful coiled baskets made with bright yarn or eclectic fabric scraps. In terms of function, coiled rope baskets tend to be best for holding delicate items and small objects that might otherwise fall through the holes commonly seen in woven baskets.

Meanwhile, woven baskets made from wicker and other natural fibers are among the most common items you'll find at a thrift store, but there's also a regular supply of new ones on display if that's what you're after. This type of basket typically has a less flexible structure than a coiled basket and will look sharp rather than sloppy if you're using it as visible storage. Better yet, the right kind of woven basket can also bring a pleasant bit of contrast into a room with lots of clean lines. What's more, as long as the fibers aren't treated with a coating or synthetic dye, a damaged natural-fiber basket can often be composted once its days are done.