We couldn’t think of a better double entendre than “The Legend of Sam Neua” to talk about Mrs. Phan Phoumaneevong, known as Mae Thao Linthong. The woman is a legend and she weaves… legends and stories using her unique skills. And when we say unique here, we mean it in a literal way, she’s the only one in Laos weaving these designs. Let’s learn more about this legend!
The Village Weavers Project is a series of initiatives that create economic opportunities for artisans in rural locations around Laos. We decide which villages to work with in a few different ways. Sometimes, it comes through Public Private Partnerships. This is how our collaboration with the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) started three years ago. Read this interview with Ock Pop Tok’s (OPT) Co-Founder and Executive Director, Veomanee Douangdala, to learn more.
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…
Susan Hull Walker and IBU Movement are at the forefront of galvanising the global artisan community. Susan’s work empowers and connects people—in particular women—at all levels, from a village-based artisan to a woman in corporate or suburban America. Through her work with IBU Movement, and more recently IBU Foundation, Susan is finding common ground for women from far away places and disparate experiences to come together meaningfully.
Palestinian embroidery is a traditional craft dating back centuries. Traditionally used on garments and pillows for the home, this embroidery is rich with motifs and stories of Palestinian culture, nature and village life. Kissweh, a craft enterprise focusing on these embroidery techniques, provides income opportunities for women living in Palestinian refugee camps inside Lebanon.
Through our textiles, we keep the stories and traditions of Lao culture alive. Rice, particularly khao niao, is part and parcel of Lao culture and holds a special place in our textiles. Follow us in the rice paddies of Luang Prabang for the story of rice.
The Moroccan carpet is iconic. It has grown exponentially, but Berber communities and the women who weave these gorgeous carpets have not necessarily benefited. Nina Mohammad-Galbert, founder of Artisan Project, explains this imbalance and discusses the importance of ethical sourcing and buying.
Bibi Hanum founder Muhayo Aliyeva takes us on a journey on the Silk Road, illuminating the rich history of “adras” or Uzbeki ikat and the importance of empowering women in her country.
Follow us in the streets of Luang Prabang, and weave your way through Sinh City, to learn more about the Lao sinh, the traditional Lao skirt. More than an outfit, the sinh is a symbol of culture and a marker of ethnicity.
Kavita Parmar, founder and creative director of I OWE YOU Project, discusses the need for a new design ecosystem. And, she shares her love affair with the Madras check and her vision for how each of us must “be the change”.
Weaver, designer, textile innovator Ploenchanh “Mook” Vinyaratn uses traditional handlooms and needlework to create modern, multi-dimensional textiles for handbags under her label MookV. She shares her process, the challenges in the marketplace and her relentless passion and optimism for artisan textiles.
Are you curious about the relationship between culture and creativity? Join us and learn more about what our staff has to say on the subject…
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