Sustainability and contemporary influences
 Sustainability 'of textiles refers to any method utilised to attempt to make the production of that textile more environmentally friendly'. The growing awareness of sustainability in the west as can be seen by the abundance of written advice and action groups such as EcoTextile, has been practised in Bhutan as part of their buddhist belief. The eco awareness influence on contemporary design can be seen in the development and increased markets such as  Braintree, an australian firm who have worked with hemp to raise its profile as an environmentally friendly alternative to cotton. It is a plant which does not need pesticides or insecticides and actually improves the soil quality where it is grown.

 I have visited a weaver who is passionate about sustainability and is using solar power to dye some of her yarns. There is an attractive quality in the variation of colour as can be seen in the picture but as she pointed out every garment will be unique. This ofcourse cannot be adapted to mass production. But I applaud the progress being made to influence the fashion industry and textile artists in the direction of responsibilty but my grave concern is that we like Bhutan are relying on the cheap textiles, dyes and yarns of India to satisfy our demand for quality at as low a price as possible. India is polluting it's environment with the chemical remains of it's textile industry 

Contextual weaving in Bhutan

                                                   Lengths of cloth for sale in Art School shop Thimpu
 
The changing market for Bhutan weavers has resulted in production for a global market instead of the historical neighbourhood market. This has resulted in evolving changes as well as increased production. The traditional design with their religious significance were often difficult to market to non-traditional customers. The Handicrafts Emporium (see embroidered cloths as a background to this Blog) in Thimpu is a point of contact with global customers and it can feedback to the units producing traditional crafts thereby allowing the craftsmen to adapt their design. A form of market research. For weavers in eastern areas it is a two day journey to Thimpu so the National Handloom Development Centre acts as an intermediary. As well as evolving designs, there are other cultural impacts on production especially related to the Buddist belief  which prevents harming any living creature. The cotton used is from India where the climate and land is ideal for cotton planting. Silk is also bought from India which enables them to use a protein yarn where they are not involved in the killing of the silk worm.The Bhutanese use natural plant dyes but buy in synthetically dyed yarns  for the brighter colours demanded by the wider market. Once again this is eco friendly because they are not involved in the danger of pollution in the production of these dyes, the environment is not threatened. The introduction of new products in a changing market have challenged the traditional hand loom dimensions which is only wide enough to make strips which are sewn together to form broader cloth.  There is a strong market for scarves and new products such as bags and purses also utilise a narrow warp but wall hangings and bedspreads need to be produced on larger looms. One unit I visited in Thimpu was producing a range of wallhangings, traditional Kira's and Gho's as well as beautiful colourful silks in raw silk. The video at the end of the final post shows the girls at work.
   I do believe that it is important that the ethics are maintained and it is for the new customers to be aware of the difference between eco-friendly products  and  hand woven cloth to machine production in a polluted environment. It is a case of educating the buyer whilst balancing any changes to enable controlled economic growth. The visit to Bhutan gave me a real insight into this dilema that faces all designers and craftsmen. As a result I have been researching and investigating natural dyes in my own work. It is such an unpredictable area that it becomes refreshing and exciting. The colours of the woven cloths in Bhutan where natural plant dyes have been used had a more tranquille feel to them the subtlty of tonal values and the knowledge that there had been no environmental pollution in their production became important. As a result more of my designs relate to natural dyes and I am using A Dyers Garden by Rita Buchanan as a guide to changing the function of some areas of my garden. So yes - my research and findings have had and will have a significant impact on my own work with textiles. 




 

Contemporary reference for weaving in Bhutan

 Bhutanese men wear a Gho and the women wear an ankle length dress known as a Kira.

Historically weaving is a home based necessity crafted by women on back strap looms. But in 1984 the Royal government helped to fund the Weaving Training Centre and in 1992 UNICEF supported the payment of monthly stipends for trainee's which was followed by the building of a hostel reflecting the need to accomadate trainee's from all over Bhutan. The Centre continues to support the trainee's after completion of the course by providing loan facilities and by selling their woven products. Many trainee's return to their villages and with credit facilities , they have started their own production which has augmented the rural income. There are many organisations working to support rural communities and thus preserving the traditional   crafts such as weaving. I have become involved with fund raising for the Tarayana Foundation a non profit making organisation helping rural communities help themselves. The president, Her Majesty Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, recently visited one project where a nettle weaving unit had been introduced. It evolved from a visit by the Foundation to assess the village needs in line with the policy for Gross National Happiness and the development of natural resources. A weaving production started as a result of a large patch of neetles close to the village the nettles, and the innate skills of the villagers. The Foundation supported the training and infrastructure needed to start this rural initiative.The work-shed brings the villagers together in the evenings to work on the nettle fibre preparation all the way through to fabric weaving. During Her Majesty’s visit, it was decided that four young ladies will be trained in tailoring and product design and development. The woven products are sold at the Tarayana shop in Thimpu. There are different opportunities for crafts to be sold in Bhutan some established by the Government such as a Craft Bazaar that was recently inaugurated by the Hon'ble Prime Minister and under the auspices of the Agency for the promotion of Indigenous Crafts where no imported products are allowed. This support and greater awareness of the marketing of traditional crafts has been part of the increased tourist trade as Bhutan tries to balance the benefits of increased income against the downside of modernisation.

Market Research Weaving in Bhutan

When I arrived at Paro airport my guide greeted me with a white Kadar(a ceremonial scarf)and that was just the start of an amazing experience involving honoured traditions which survive to this day in Bhutan. The purity of the Kadar stands for a blessing that the Gods may descend and bless you with their divine presence and is just one of the many ways textiles play an important part in the culture of Bhutan. The historical context of weaving in Bhutan is intrinsically based on the religious belief and unique history of Bhutan. The Buddist tradition combined with their guiding philosophy of Gross National Happiness results in a country living in harmony with nature and the evolution of a sanctuary high in the Himalayas. On my visit I witnessed the effect of these qualities on every day life. Traditional dress is not for special occasions but part of life and this also involves a proud demeanour walking with hands clasped behind the back. I cannot recall anyone or anything in a hurry! But one must remember that the population of Bhutan is only 700,000 and 72% of the country is covered by forest. Bhutanese men wear a knee length Gho which crosses at the front and the excess material is pulled up and tucked in at the back to form a large box pleat then tied round the waist by a cloth belt known as a Kera. The Gho is often of a striped or checked close weave cotton yarn. The seperate cuff is white and dates back to the time when the Master hid a relic in the cuff of his coat trying to escape his enemies. The women wear ankle length dresses known as a Kira made of brightly coloured fine woven cloth often with embroidered traditional patterns. The short jacket worn over the skirt is called a tdego and can be beautifully woven silk with embroidery. The folds of the kira form a pleat and with the belt a small pocket is made. The wearing of this traditional costume also allows a silent way of communicating such as a lady will stand smooth her kira adjust the pleat and it will be interpreted that she is ready to leave. The tradition of weaving is maintained along with 12 other traditional crafts, painting, carving, sculpture, calligraphy, carpentry, smithing, bamboo work, embroidery, pottery, masonary, paper and incense production;at the Zorig Chusum( National Art College) in Thimpu Bhutan's capital city. The school maintains traditional methods such as thanka painting which hasn't changed in 400 years and are scrolls intrically painted depicting images of Buddha and other deities. The embroidered images on the clothes are usually relevant to the Buddhist tradition such as the cooperation of life with the elephant who provides shade, the monkey fertility, the rabbit water and the peacock the seed. The College is part of the amazing progress in education since the 1960's when the secular school system was introduced by the Third King of Bhutan who set his country on a path of modernisation. As I will discuss later this path has also led to significant challenges for a country trying to learn from the mistakes of countries where Gross National Product is the main objective.

Weaving in Thimpu - video

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