Hoa Tien Brocade Scarves - Gifts from Nature
Women of the Thai ethnic minority in Hoa Tien weaving village (
Nghe An Province, Vietnam)
have been well-known for their brocade weaving techniques and skills for many generations.
However, Hoa Tien brocade production before 2010 was on the brink of oblivion partly because more and more young women moved to the cities for better paid work. In 2010
iMs. Sam Thi Bich, from a family with a tradition of weaving brocade, form the Hoa Tien Brocade Co-operative aiming to preserve and develop the traditional cultural identity of the ethnic Thai people, and at the same time increase income of the women there.
The scarves in this collection have been hand woven from natural silk produced locally according to traditional production methods, following an eco-friendly process, from growing mulberry, raising silkworms to reeling and spinning. The silk filaments are dyed using colours from Thai food, herbs, flowers and plants. Scarves are handcrafted using traditional crafts brought up to date with sophisticated modern designs, in a way that benefits the community.
