Visiting the Silk Farm in Northern Laos

LIfe on the farm....lots of cows and water buffalo.

Here is the process of spinning the threads from the cocoons into finer silk threads

Natural dyes are used, including saliva from insects, certain leaves, berries and barks. Here the thread is being dyed indigo, one of the colors that is dyed in cold water, not by boiling.


Here's freshly dyed red silk threads, hanging out to dry and set.

The farm employes women to weave on site, and it's amazing to watch the work that goes into some of the intricate patterns that are woven, often the texture that is put into the cloth by the weaving style is much more complicated than merely weaving with different colored thread. I'll never complain at the seemingly high prices of handmade silk scarves again! So much work goes into the product....and the women at the farm are paid well for their labor.


The final product! To see more visit: www.mulberries.org