I’m writing from the mountains of northern Laos. I just dropped my bag in my room after a fabulous day working with People Tree designers and silk and dye experts with ethnic Lanten people. We were last here staying at the Boat Landing Guest House at Christmas and there was the odd fairy light strung around a shrub or two – but to amazement through my window I notice that the surrounding gardens are alive with twinkling fireflies. It’s rainy season here and the bugs are BIG.
Laos opened itself to the world only twenty years ago. The north is inhabited by hill tribes and ethnic minority people who are fighting to keep their cultures alive despite the onslaught of globalization. Some have been forced to move down from their remote villages by overseas governments worried about illegal opium production, others have moved to be near a road to town to get access to education and medical support.
People Tree is working to set up a Fair Trade handicraft project here in the north that will benefit the ethnic minority people and help them to develop their communities and get adequate income to send their children to school. Having been forced out of the forest on which they depended for their food and livelihood, traditional handicrafts production will make a big difference to their well-being and sustaining their cultures.

The Lanten people grow cotton organically between their rice and vegetable crops and handspin and handweave it on narrow handlooms, finally it is plunged into a vat of indigo plant dye and repeatedly dyed six times to produce a rich blue colour.

The textile making process is so pure and authentic – everyone is excited by it. But it is not enough to take pleasure in this area as a living museum – people need access to proper facilities and ways to meet their basic needs.

(If you are planning to travel overseas then do do eco-travel and support the local community like the Boat Landing does.)