Textile weavers need better skills as they eye overseas market
Textile weavers need better skills as they eye overseas market
The Lao Handicraft Association will hold a training course for Lao traditional textile weavers, hoping that they can obtain new weaving skills and ideas so they will be able to produce goods for the domestic and overseas markets.
Lao traditional textiles are listed as one of the potential products which Laos can export to Asean countries and the Japanese market, which is experiencing rising demand for handicraft items.
Around 20 women in Vientiane are expected to join the training course with the theme ‘Creative Workshops for New Handicraft Souvenirs at the Lao Textile Museum in Nongtha-tai village, Chanthabouly district, Vientiane from August 12-14.
President of the Lao Handicraft Association (LHA) Mr Hansana Sisane told Vientiane Times that the course on Lao traditional textile weaving aims to conserve and promote traditional techniques and styles as well as examine innovations and new ideas.
He said the training course also aims to train members of the association to be more business minded and produce high quality silks which attract not only domestic but also overseas buyers and increase their competitiveness on the market.
According to Mr Hansana, the training course was scheduled for this month because it will give the participating weavers enough time to produce some really high quality works to place on exhibition at the upcoming Lao Handicraft Festival to be held at Lao-ITECC in October this year.
He stressed that Laos will become a member country of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) next year so it's very important to improve the skills and knowledge of Lao producers so they know how to produce high quality garments that can compete on the international market.
The Lao Handicraft Association recently received funds totalling around 115 million kip from Swiss Development Cooperation, which will go towards not only textile weaving but also other cottage industries such as bamboo furniture manufacturing, with projects running in the capital and neighbouring Vientiane province as well.
Ms Seng Nanthavongduangsy, head of the Nongbuathong village silk weaving group is among those who will benefit from participating in the course. She explained that she has been weaving silk since she was a small girl as it was her family business.
“I have not studied how to weave silk anywhere before,” she said. “I just learnt from helping my parents when they were weaving. It was not difficult for any woman around where I was living,” Ms Seng said.
“Although I have some experience about weaving it's very good to join this training course because I think that it will improve my knowledge about making silk because we can share ideas together with other good weavers and fabric engineers.”
vientiane times
