Network blog from correspondent in India and South East Asia....any suggestions/contacts?

[Ethical Fashion Forum]

Hi all,

I have recently come to the end of my contract with the Ethical Fashion Forum and will be travelling, writing and researching in South East Asia and India for the next 6 months. I would very much appreciate any recommendations of places to visit, people to meet whilst I am away, for the purpose of my blog, which you will find regularly here on the Network.

The bulk of my time (over 3 months) will be spent in India, from about the 10th January next year. Prior to that I will be in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, as well as briefly in Indonesia and Malaysia, having flown into Hong Kong.

If there is anything you would like to read about or to have researched in relation to ethical fashion in any of these countries then please do let me know. Do you work with garment factories, cotton growers or cooperatives in any of these places? Any suggestions, useful contacts or research topics would be much appreciated.

I look forward to hearing your ideas!
Many thanks

Lucy
(Add a comment in this discussion or email me at [e-mail]. I will do my best to get back to you straight away)

[Rosanne Trottier]

Hello Lucy,

I would like to invite you to visit my project, 'Sawang Boran', in north east Thailand if you have time and inclination to do so. I work with a group of weavers in a village there, combining fair trade practices with cultural revitalisation, and the results are quite amazing. We are in the process of achieving recognition of our fair trade and organic production, at least at national Thai level. Making the weavers aware of the fashion-related potential of their ancient art is a growing part of the project.
Feed-back I receive confirms that this is a rather unique experiment in combining local skills re-empowerment with the realities of the wider world and economy. I am sure that if you come over and visit we will have many interesting moments to share, and Sawang Boran could also benefit from your insights.
website is at www.weaving.sawangboran.com
best regards,
rosanne

[Udaya Bikram Thapa]

Hello Lucy,
if you are in kathmandu, please contact and would like to meet up. Ph. 4440600 or 9851081991. Take care,
Udaya

[Anja Claire Crabb]

Hi Lucy,

I have not been long enough in Indonesia to provide you with any contacts and if your travelling only extended 3 months then you will be back in the UK by now? I was wondering if you had visited Indonesia at all?

Thanks,
Anja

[Anja Claire Crabb]

Hi Lucy!
How was your Asia trip?
I am a german ethical fashion designer based in Indonesia and in December I am planning to make a trip to Thailand and Laos and am looking for places to visit for Textiles- any reccomendations? Did you come across any interesting contacts, projects, factories? I am interested in traditional fabrics, fair trade and natural dyes. I would appreciate any tips :)
Thanks,
Anja of Studio Anglindo

[bianca zen]

Hi, why dont you drop by to SIngapore? If you do, I will show you around. But if you dont, which part of Malaysia will you go to?