Side By Side (2014)

A Town Where Textiles and Women Thrive: Cambodia (2018x2)

Udgivelsesdato: Mar 14, 2018

A Japanese NGO called IKTT works with women in Cambodia to revive Khmer dyeing, a Cambodian textile tradition that had been on the brink of extinction. Now IKTT and these women -- most of whom originally come from impoverished farming communities -- have created a "textile village" on the outskirts of Siem Reap that is producing close to 200 items a year. They raise silkworms, produce dye from local plants to color threads and weave fabric. The items they create fetch a high price, and offer a way for the women to support themselves and take pride in the work they do as artisans. IKTT's founder, Kikuo Morimoto, passed away in 2017, but the women of Cambodia and the IKTT staff from Japan are determined to keep the textile village going. They are now beginning to experiment with new fabric designs and styles. We visit a village in the forests of Cambodia, where women are creating beautiful textiles and a happy, vibrant community.