After our wooden basket is crumbled over the years, we were looking for an alternative. The basket like it very much and is well made. From a distance you would think it is a leather bag but if you touches you know it already. We like the design and is a good thing that no wood crumbs trickle through the soil, as opposed to various wooden baskets. This wood Couffins stands with us as a decoration next to the wood stove.