Textiles are an important part of Hmong culture. The Hmong people master a variety of embroidery techniques including cross-stitch, appliqué and reverse appliqué. The Hmong community uses embroidery as a way to decorate their clothes.
They’re mostly made of fabric scraps. They are plastic-free. They are colourful and playful. They’re affordable. Our toys and dolls — made in Laos — are the perfect gift for a baby or young toddler. Icing on the cake? They’re gifts that give back as they generate income for remote Akha and Tai Lue artisans!
This is the story of Paa Vanhthong. A story that thousands of weavers in Laos share. In Ban Nayang Tai, three hours north of Luang Prabang, Paa Vanhthong’s busy days run into each other. From dawn to dusk.
From the mountains of Laos to the town of Luang Prabang, the Village Market Fair we hosted a couple of weeks ago was a success! If we may say so ourselves… The artisans from our Village Weavers Project had a great time, we had a great time and we hope all those who stopped by had a great time! And for those who couldn’t make it (for obvious reasons), we hope our videos and pictures made you travel to Laos for a weekend…
Jo Smith, Ock Pop Tok co-founder, regales us with the story of a spontaneous journey to Houaphan Province in northeastern Laos. This journey jumpstarted the Village Weavers Project, a dynamic model for village-based collaborations. Since the trip, the Village Weavers Project has evolved and grown, helping Lao women weavers and artisans access markets and preserve their cultural traditions.
In December, our Head of Production Soulinda “Lear” Philiminda, Head Dyer Phet Manijanh, and Lead Designer Kingkeo Sisakhone hit the road to work with artisans
In December, the Ock Pop Tok production team took a trip to visit one of the groups involved in our Village Weaver Projects in Xiang Khouang province.
We are always creating new things here at Ock Pop Tok and we recently developed a new class for visitors at our Living Crafts Centre, called the Village Weaver Class.
“Do you have indigo growing in your village? Indian trumpet? Turmeric?” These are the first questions we ask before any village training on natural dyes.
At Ock Pop Tok, we strive to elevate Laos textiles, while supporting quality, fair trade and women’s empowerment.
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