The Beat - A pulse on our findings and adventures

Craft Forward - An Invitation from the British Council

April 18, 2016

In January I was invited by the British Council to tell the story of Ma Te Sai, at a conference which exposed different Southeast Asian business models to Burmese producers, and shared knowledge of...

Hmong Embroidery & Culture in Luang Prabang

April 4, 2016

Bai Lee has been making products and teaching embroidery classes with Ma Té Sai for four years now. These classes help supplement income for the family. Extended families live together and relative...

Paper Making Season in Luang Namtha with the Lanten

March 6, 2016

February in Luang Namtha province is “paper making season”. The Lanten people make bamboo paper for three months during the dry season. Made for their own ceremonial use, they also sell it to Hmo...

What is Jungle Vine?

November 16, 2015

Jungle Vine or "Piad", pronunced pee -ad, in Lao, is a versatile plant fibre used to make nets and bags. A while ago I visited a Khmu village near Udomxai where they make a lot of jungle vine. A ma...

De-clutter & Purchase "Sparks of Joy"

October 16, 2015

Do you often think about how much stuff you have? Every time you move home, does the amount of contents always surprise you? A wonderfully, maybe a little overtly, organised Japanese woman is makin...

Wearing a “sinh” or Lao skirt - a brief guide for foreigners

July 31, 2015

No it is not a confession, a “sinh” is a Lao skirt. When in Laos, a foreign woman who wears a sinh is showing respect, whether she wears it for ceremony, to work or just around out about. I sugges...

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