Among the most retail-friendly imports from Africa in recent years are Zulu baskets made from telephone wire. Eye-catching, less fragile than many other African imports, and available in an astonishing variety of patterns, they’re crowd pleasers and a natural gift choice. But they aren’t as environmentally friendly as buyers might assume. While the tradition may have started with castoff or recycled wire, Cael Chappell of Baskets of Africa confirms that they’re “not from recycled wire any more. There is a rare bit of recycled wire used sometimes, but very, very rarely these days.” Those that do use recycled wire, Chappell says, don’t approach the quality of the psychedelic goodies he stocks, which use wire made specifically for weaving. Happily, color-hungry collectors have other, more environmentally sustainable options. The weavers of Swaziland use hand-gathered fibers from weeds and grass to make baskets that, though less attention-grabbing than the wire versions, are more boldly patterned than most other traditional styles. Chappell offers an ever-changing selection of rough-textured Lutindzi baskets and more tightly-woven ones of Sisal, at prices that are pretty modest for American shoppers but mean a lot in a nation where, according to the site, “70 percent of the population lives on about one dollar a day.”