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The Tai Lue of the Nam Ou and Tha waterways are masters of the indigo and stick lack dyes (blue & red respectively). Back in the early days, we were looking to expand our repertoire of natural dyes and had heard of a village in Nam Bak district, Ban Nayang Tai that was producing high quality cotton and amazing indigo.
Fresh leaves and the stems of the indigo plants can be used for dyeing. Depending on the mordant used (ash water, white alcohol, lime and mud), one can obtain different colours from the same indigo plant: blue, dark blue, green, light blue, mauve and charcoal. Fermented leaves turn green. Limestone is added to turn blue. Mix with Mak Bow (a local fruit) to dye black. And it can be boiled to make purple.
There are a few cultural beliefs around the use of natural dye, including indigo. Tai Lue people tie white cotton around the indigo pot to stop the spirit from leaving; Hmong put a chilli on the pot and the Tai Lao put a knife on the pot. Some natural dyestuffs are seasonal, so are only available at certain times of the year. Indigo grows well near water and shade.
Watch this video to learn more about indigo and visit Paa Vanhthong, a master indigo dyer and weaver.
You'll love it because: Who doesn't love natural indigo?! The perfectly-sized, beautiful deep indigo shoulder bag will go with everything in your wardrobe.
You'll love it because: Ultra-soft hand woven Lanten cotton, geometric Hmong batik patterns, and smooth leather strap make this T-shirt bag easygoing and easy to wear.
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