CAMBODIAN SILK
After my recent trip to India I believe that Cambodian Silk is still the best quality and most ethical available. Not that all Indian Silk should be dismissed but it should be purchased with caution- visually and to the touch much of it is flimsy compared to the Cambodian product, some of it is machine produced, most of it if factory rather than cottage industry or coops like Cambodia. In addition, the Indians will frequently try to pass Rayon off as Silk. Any silk that can be confused with Rayon is not a high enough quality for Conscientious to even consider.
However , India is bursting with other traditonal handmade fabrics and fashions. See our India page.
Justine 17 June 2009
Organza silk from Takeo, Camboida
The Tradition Ikat Silk from Takeo, Cambodia. This is often worn as a sarong by locals.
Plain Silk from Takeo, Cambodia.
Tabitha is a Non-Government Organization that provides work to Cambodian woman at risk. More than half the workshop
workers are ex-sex workers, most are single mothers and more than half have AIDS.
Hand made black silk evening clutch bag made by Tabitha in Phenon Penh.
The workers at the Tabitha workshop are paid per piece and earn around $200 per month. Compare this to the protected government wage of $50 per month for Cambodia workers in
Chinese and other Foreign factories. It's difficult to know who makes what in Cambodia but I saw some original Mossimo and Billabong t'shirts made in Cambodia being sold around Cambodian beach resorts for about $5 per piece.
Silk worms feed exclusively on the Mulberry Tree. In the 1970 the Pol Pot regime destroyed all the Mulberry trees in Cambodia and put the Weavers to work in food production. During this period 1.6 million Cambodians were tortuted and murdered in the infamous death camps.
Today with the encouragement of Non-Government Organisation trees have been replanted around Siem Rep and a limited number of other areas.
In Takeo, to the south, where the most famous Silk was produced the tree has not been replanted yet and carries mental scares for the older villages. However, using thread from Vietnam the villagers are weaving again.
10 Reasons to Love Cambodian Silk
1) It's beautiful
2) It comes in a range of textures and strength for many uses.
3) Most of its dyes are natural or use recycled materials.
4) It's 100% biodegradable.
5) Care for it and so will future generations.
6) It's handmade, usually by woman in cottage industries and households paying 4 times the wage as the Multi-national apparel companies do there Cambodian workers.
7) It's animal cruelty free. Even worm free. Male worms die as soon as they mate, female worms die as soon as they lay eggs. Non-mating worms are put into the sun after producing the coccon to die.
8) Everything in the process is recyclable, even the deceased worms are used as fertilizer.
9) The Mulberry trees, whose leaves feed the worm, also produce a delicious and nutritious fruit for the local people.
10)Weaving is a traditional art form we should encourage and not let the villagers leave for factories.
This Weaver is a Cham minority, a Muslim people that are famous for weaving and are scatter through Cambodia. Many fled to Vietnam during the reign of Pol Pot. They pre-date the Khmer of Cambodia and the Vietnam in the Mekong area of Asia and are surprisingly Matriachial.
Below is a list of Artisan Groups and Organizations and how you can support them.
Cambodian Handicraft Assocotion
This Cambodian run organization employs most landmine victims and polio victims. There work shop is Phen Penh make bags from recycled sacks and also work with silk making accessories, gifts and Christmas decorations.
They use Takeo silk and are very interested in exporting goods and the raw fabric from their suppliers.
www3.online.com.kh/users/wthanchashop/
wthanchashop@online.com.kh
Worms in the hanging baskets at work producing cocoons.
Aw'Kun Shop+ Help
Set up by Dutch travellers, this is both workshops in poor villages and a gift shop for tourist in Phen Penh.
They sell bags made from recyled materials, all kinds of silk accessories and homewares and some novelty items such as cute card made from elephants pooh (they don't stink!).
The staff at Aw'kun are also interested in creating business partnerships with people in Western countries interested in selling their gifts.
The production of thread from cocoons is a long hot process of boiling and threading that can only be done by hand.
Artisans Angkor & Artisans Khmer, Siem Rep Cambodia
Stone Carving, Wood Carving, lacquering, Gilding, Silk Processing
Finds work for people in their own village continuing their traditional crafts.
Artisans Angkor have a boutique and workshop in Siem Rep for tourists. They also have a silk farm open to the public.
communication@artiansangkor.com
www.artisansangkor.com
Weaves of Cambodia, Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia
Employs over 40 rural weavers, working on the principals of Fairtrade and also monitors quality and coordinates exports.
lindsay@villagefocus.org
www.villagefocus.org
M'Lop tapang, Sinoukville, Cambodia
Located in an beach resort area which attracts some of the overflow of the wrong sort of tourists from Thailand. Protection of the children and education of the danger to local people is important, the poor street people are the most vunerable. The organization helps street people and offers counselling as well as employing locals and ensuring their children go to school.
They sew bags and wallets and accessories for sale in local shops to the tourists. They also make cards from recycled materials.
info@mloptapang.org
www.mloptapang.org
