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.
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