GIFT FROM NATURE
Our natural botanical dyes derived from local plants. The plant on the left is fruit from achiote tree, a bright orange can be extracted from its seeds. The people in Asia & India have been using this colour for centuries to dye the robes for monks. Apart from seeds, the locals always fully utilize every bits from nature so even fruit skins, tree barks, leaves and branches would be their sources for different colours.
THE COOKING
Dyes could be extracted by boiling from seeds, roots, barks, skins, leaves or branches, some of them needed to be soaked in water for days beforehand. Threads then can be put into the pot & sit for hours. Natural enhancement agent would be used such as leaf ashes. Chemical is a strict NO since they would pour all the water back to their fields after dyeing.
BEFORE THE LOOM
After the threads are dyed, there are still a few more steps to go before putting them on the loom. These procedures are very labour intensive & time-consuming, it requires the artisans with outstanding techniques & experience.
OUR PEOPLE
Many of the villages are with tradition of craft, yet people are starting to turn away from it. We work with the artisans in villages out of appreciation & honouring their efforts to carry on these ancient wisdom.