The Art of Sustainable Gift Giving
It is time for holiday gift-giving once again. What better way to show your love for friends and family than a special, limited-time self-care gift set? They’re perfect for the special someone in your life – especially if it’s you! Our limited-time gift sets will make you fall in love with your natural hair & skin, allow you to show love for the environment, and support our local weavers. They come in sustainable handmade pouches woven from bamboo and decorated with traditional Thai “Pa-Kao-Ma” fabric.
Apart from sustainability, we chose this special pouch to hold our all-natural and organic products to stay true to our roots. Bamboo weaving has long been a part of Thai culture, being able to transform bamboo sticks into unique products with artistic designs. To learn more, we sat down with Khun Patcharee Techamani, our partner from Phanat Nikhom village located in the eastern Thai province of Chonburi, which is the largest bamboo weaving community in Thailand.
The Makers
Phanat Nikhom village is the largest bamboo weaving community in Thailand and its history is deeply entrenched in the families who make their homes there. Khun Patcharee’s family is no different: her parents and grandmother have been weaving bamboo since before she was born.
She now owns the family’s basketry and bamboo weaving business, having mastered the craft from her family and the elders in her village. “As a child, I did not see the potential of turning this into a business,” Khun Patcharee admits, “we only sold within the area and the surrounding provinces. But after seeing the potential of selling our products online, I decided to seize this opportunity.”
At first, her grandmother was the only weaver, then her cousins came to help with the business and the weaving. Their family business continues to grow and currently, they are producing all the basketry products from their district.
Their weaving experts can make 15 to 20 bags a day, all handmade to prevent the bamboo from splintering. One of the challenges in their business is sourcing bamboo which takes a lot of time to grow. Khun Patcharee says that they focus on using high-quality and durable materials to ensure high product quality.
Natural, Sustainable, Handcrafted Bamboo Bags
Skip the Christmas wrapping, and avail our New Year Gift Sets that come in sustainable packaging. The bamboo bags included in our gift sets are made of Waya Bamboo (“Phai Nuan” in Thai) which is directly harvested from the mountains of the Aranyaprathet District of Prachinburi Province. This material is softer and easier to work with, making our bamboo bag highly flexible.
Our bamboo bag is handwoven using a plain weave style called “Lai Song” in Thai. This is the oldest and most basic weaving method that is also used in making baskets and mats. This pattern creates a bonding force between each bamboo stripe. It is a basic pattern used for many generations. Everything in our bamboo bag is the same as the original bamboo pouch of Phanat Nikhom District, just adorned with a traditional “pa kao ma” fabric made of handwoven cotton.
Eco-friendly & Sustainable Gifting for the Holidays
As we approach the holiday season and think of ways to make our loved ones feel special, may we be reminded of the art and spirit of giving that is deeply ingrained in Thai culture. Treat yourself and your loved ones with our natural beauty products that nourish and pamper you inside and out. Grab our limited edition holiday gift sets now!
