Threads of Life in Bali
Threads of Life Gallery in Ubud is an educational and retail space representing values of cultural continuity, sustainable livelihoods and environmental stewardship. Textiles and artifacts throughout are curated to museum standards with interpretative texts and images. The gallery staff will guide you through retail exhibits, teaching about the textile arts, their cultural roots and the importance of the gallery’s work to rural livelihoods across Indonesia. They will answer all your questions about natural dyes, motifs, and techniques and tell you about the women who made the textiles and baskets. Behind the scenes is a staff of thirty who work directly with the weavers in the field across Indonesia, and maintain the chain of custody that allows each piece to be labeled with unique information about its makers and the importance of the piece to their culture.
Theam’s House in Siem Reap
Theams House is the charming gallery and atelier of Cambodian artist and designer Lim Muy Theam, a restlessly creative individual who is one of the driving forces in the Cambodian arts and crafts scene. His talent and work can be seen in every aspect of his stunning self-designed studio/home. His media include lacquers, painting, and sculptures, with pieces that are uniquely expressive of Theam while also maintaining a strong Khmer ethic. He has created a new aesthetic; drawing and paintings on both Khmer traditional and contemporary international designs hoping to breathe new life into Cambodian handicrafts. Visitors can watch his artisans in the process of creating lacquers, painting and sculptures or browse through his stunning showroom and shop to look for a truly unique piece of modern Cambodia to take home. We arrange a special escorted tour of the Atelier with Theam’s sister Maddy who will tell you Theam’s story and offer insights into Khmer arts and crafts.
Artisans d’Angkor Craft College in Siem Reap
Artisans Angkor is a Cambodian company that was created in the late 1990’s to help young rural people find work near their home village. It is the offshoot of an educational project aiming at providing professional skills to communities with limited educational opportunities.
The Artisans d’Angkor Craft College was originally established by the European Union and now operates with the aim of teaching young adults the art of Sandstone and Woodcarving, lacquer ware of ceremonial artefacts and modern silk weaving. The college in Siem Reap Town is located close to the local market, providing ample opportunity for visitors to explore both the delicate artefacts produced by the college and a whole lot more on sale in the thriving market.
Ethical Fashion & Eco Textiles in Chiang Mai
Studio Naenna is a community of women weavers, embroiderers, designers and support staff based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, who comprise the women’s group “Weavers For the Environment” (WFE), bringing together craft makers from various ethnic groups to create high quality, environmentally friendly and sustainable products.
The studio is nestled in the shade of Suthep Mountain, Chiang Mai, providing easy access to lush fruit, flowers and trees that provide natural dye for their clothing. Here the creative process begins for our handwoven eco-textiles experience using silk and eco-cotton. Hand-made and sustainable textile products use high-quality cotton, natural dying techniques and ethical production methods. There’s something incredibly luxurious about hand-crafted textiles, and the indigo fabrics from Northern Thailand’s tribespeople are no exception.
At Studio Naenna they have activities throughout the year, including Plant-to-Paste indigo workshops, indigo dye workshops, weaving workshops and exhibitions.