Our Materials
Hemp
“Buying this Hemp in the Lao villages, gives families an viable reason to keep cultivating the crop and teaching this skill to the next generation”
The hemp we use in our bags and cushions comes from villages nestled high up in the far reaching mountains of Laos, and with such remoteness comes restricted access to villagers wishing to sell their produce.
We’re hoping to reach more and more of these villages in the years to come to help support their unique skillset and treasured knowledge.
Since the beginnings of Passa Paa, Pok and Heather (our co-founders) saw a need for Hmong artisans and hemp farmers in Laos to find a market for their skills and raw materials. They researched the cultural importance of the traditional Hmong production techniques of hemp and cotton and realised they had to make a commitment to support it. Pok’s family is originally from Xieng Khouang Province. She has been able to witness first hand how important it is to support these traditional techniques. Having the ability to sell this raw material gives families an excuse to keep cultivating the crop and teaching this knowledge from generation to generation.
Apart from its historic and cultural value hemp also has many qualities that make it such a coveted fabric. Its cultivation requires little water and no pesticides or herbicides to grow the plant. It is also known for how sturdy and fast growing it is. The fabric is resistant to mould or mildew and it is proven to be 7 times as strong as other natural textiles. To read more about Hmong Hemp, take a look at our blog post.
Lao Cotton
“The Ban Na Nyang villagers not only spin the cotton but they plant and harvest it as well. No chemicals are used during any of these processes.”
The cotton we use at Passa Paa comes from a village called Ban Na Nyang, situated almost 3 hours north of Luang Prabang. It is one of our favorite villages in Luang Prabang provice because it is full of traditional wooden stilted houses, some are even 100 years old!
It is a Tai Leu village which is no surprise as this ethnic group is known worldwide for being experts in cotton. They not only spin the cotton but they plant and harvest it as well.
When we visit, we love learning how the artisans complete the cotton process from seed to fabric. This village is also known for their indigo masters so in every household there is so much textile heritage and wisdom.
Passa Paa has created a long lasting relationship with this village and their experts. It is one of the collaborations we are most proud of and we are committed to continue supporting this village and its thriving cotton industry.
Silk, Linen and Leather
We are always in the look out for locally sourced materials, that is why we decided to change some of the materials we work with in 2021.
Our aim is to have all of our materials locally sourced or support suppliers who manufacture in responsible ways. That is why we have decided to start the process of finding a new source for our linen and silk. If you know of a project or company that has these options, please send us a message, we would love to hear from you!
As far as leather goes, as of this year we have decided to start phasing out using it in our products. We believe there are better materials that are kinder to our planet and still give us the strength and quality we look for, hemp for example!