Meet Our Makers
Loom Designs would certainly not be possible without our Artisan makers in both Laos and Cambodia, keep reading
to meet some of these treasured and talented people, who help make Loom Designs what it is today.
Village Weavers of Northern Laos
Our range of hand woven textiles are produced by a team of women weavers in Northern Laos. We work together to create a range of beautiful products that honors their traditional artisan skills and village craftwork. We also offer opportunities to develop and train in any new techniques and to ensure our textiles are of the highest quality. Our aim is to support our weavers by giving them the opportunity for financial independence, and allowing them to earn an income to be able to remain within their community.
Keo & The Village Weavers
Keo is our go to person for everything in Laos!
Keo is contracted with Laos Handcraft Association, established in 1998, who are a non-profit organisation that is aimed at preserving and promoting traditional handicrafts and artisans. Through the organisation she helps organise training and up-skilling for her local community in Laos, helping to increasing productivity and product design.
She is a passionate cook, who grows her own vegetables in a beautiful garden and has a house full of dogs! She lives a very simple ‘Lao way of life’ and honouring her Buddhist religion.
Sewing Collective in Cambodia
Our range of handmade accessories are produced by Women’s Sewing Collective in Cambodia. I have had the pleasure to work with Jasmine and her team of talented women since 2021.
jasmine & the sewing collective
Jasmine has lived and worked in Cambodia her whole life, in an HIV positive family background. She has been working and helping to support her family since she was 10 years old. In 2013 she joined her mother’s Women’s Sewing Collective supporting HIV positive families, where she learned how to sew bags and accessories.
Jasmine now runs the day to day for the Sewing Collective since her mother passed, and continues her mother’s dream to help train unemployed and HIV positive women to learn new skills and earn a rewarding wage.
The Sewing Collective in Cambodia has many talented workers, just like Nick Nick (shown) is 20 years old and has been HIV positive since she was born. Jasmine’s mother adopted Nick Nick in 2014, and taught her how to sew, she continues to live with Jasmine in Kompot.
In 2022 members of the Sewing Collective were able to study with a professional bag producer (who has a physical disability) and is a also a member of the Sewing Collective in there in Cambodia.
Phnom Pehn, Cambodia
Our range of Brass Jewellery are hand crafted from brass bullet or bomb casings and fragments from Cambodias years of conflict. Mao is our talented Jewellery Artisan in Cambodia. Being hand made each piece takes such time and skill (and I mean even the butterfly clips on the back of our Stud Earrings he makes by hand).
Mao
Mao is 33 years old, and comes from a poor family background. He had to stop studying at Grade 9 (High school) to help support his family financially. His mom was one of original members of the Sewing Collective in Cambodia, her husband had since passed when she started working with them. Mao has two brothers, that were also supported by the Collective.
He has married and has a daughter, and his wife also works at as a seamstress in the Sewing Collective. Mao learned how to make jewellery from a local Artisan Craftsman, and was able to complete training in silver making with the help of Jasmine.
Mao is a skilled craftsperson with silver and brass, making our beautifully hand crafted brass jewellery from repurposed Brass Bullets found in Cambodia. I am in awe of this man’s work and so pleased to work together.
Village Ban Naphia Laos
The village Ban Naphia in Laos, also known as the ‘spoon village’.
Phet
Phet lives in the village Ban Naphia in Laos, also known as the ‘spoon village’.
