Behind the Maker: The Chimbarongo Collection by PET Lamp

In 2013, the team at PET Lamp set their sights on the heart of Chile’s Central Valley, embarking on a journey that would eventually lead to the creation of their Chimbarongo collection. Their destination was the small town of Chimbarongo, located 150 kilometers south of Santiago—widely recognized as “The Wicker Capital” of Chile.

This region, framed by the contrasting landscapes of the Atacama Desert and the glaciers of Patagonia, is known for its fertile soil and dry climate, ideal for cultivating wicker. Introduced by Spanish colonists centuries ago, wicker quickly became a staple of the local craft tradition, gradually replacing native fibers such as Ñocha, poplar roots, and copihue. Today, the area is home to one of the most established wicker industries in the world.

Drawing on this rich legacy, PET Lamp partnered with local artisans to create a collection that blends traditional basketry with their signature design concept. Their goal was to produce a contemporary object that honors the structural principles of traditional wickerwork, while integrating recycled PET plastic strips into the weave.

Using specially-designed wooden molds from their Madrid studio, the artisans combined calibrated wicker stems with strips from plastic bottles—resulting in a seamless harmony between old and new materials. Wicker, though famously flexible, is also quite rigid, and is typically worked while wet to allow for greater pliability. The artisans of Chimbarongo, who have passed down their knowledge through generations, use their own specialized tools to measure and prepare each stem with precision.

The result of this collaboration was a collection that embodied the austere, natural beauty of the region’s signature material—strong, simple, and deeply connected to the land and culture that nurtures it.

From the carefully harvested wicker of Chimbarongo to the centuries-old weaving tradition, PET Lamp’s work in Chile represents one of their most immersive experiences in traditional basketry. Every stage—from sourcing and preparing natural fibers to the final weave—was a testament to the value of craft as both an art form and a vehicle for social connection.

The Chimbarongo collection remains a standout example of how PET Lamp merges sustainability, heritage, and design to create objects that are not only visually compelling, but deeply meaningful.

Watch the video below to see a Chilean artisan skillfully splitting the wicker into fourths.