UPAYA mission is to support ethnic minorities, protect their heritage, and support the educational needs of the children of the Tribes.
We want you to THINK about the impact that your choices have on the environment, other people and their cultures.
We buy directly from Tribes around the world to encourage the younger generations to learn their ancestor's handcraft which is an important part of their culture. In recent years, most younger members of the Tribes are moving to bigger cities looking for jobs and better lives.
We hope that by providing them opportunities to earn extra income learning and making the traditional handcraft in their home villages we can change this trend and protect the Tribes craft from extinction.
The second part of our mission is supporting children's education.
A percentage of our profits is invested in education so every child can learn to read and write, giving them a fair chance at a prosperous life beyond poverty and homelessness.
Our pillows:
We work with skilled embroiderers from different ethnic minorities around the world.
This beautiful meditation cushion was made by Hmong Tribe using traditional handwoven methods.
Fabric:
Handwoven ORGANIC Cotton dyed using crushed leaves of INDIGO plant (BATIK) and hand-decorated using Bee's wax (none of the Bees were harmed during this process).
Measurements:
Diameter approx. 40 cm
Width approx. 10 cm
Weight approx 2-2.2 kg
History:
"Since ancient times Hmong people have used motifs and patterns to represent their daily life and culture onto the designs of their textiles. No two jackets, bags or skirts are the same, as every garment is handcrafted to communicate a stage in the owner's life.”*1
What is Batik?
Batik is a “resist” process for making designs on fabric. The artist uses wax to prevent dye from penetrating the cloth, leaving “blank” areas in the dyed fabric.
What is Indigo Dye?
Indigo dye has been used for thousands of years by civilizations all over the world to dye fabric blue. As much as 1 tonne of leaves are needed to produce just 2kg of dye. Natural indigo is also a sustainable dye; after the pigment has been extracted the plant residue can be composted and used as a fertilizer and the water reused to irrigate crops.
Attention
The handmade nature of Hmong textiles means that they may have imperfections from the natural process of weaving, batik application and dying, often further adding to their character and uniqueness.
Colors may differ ever so slightly to the pictures due to different viewing monitors/device displays.
Fabric Care:
Wash the fabric in cold/lukewarm water, ideally by hand, and dry in shade. Salting the water slightly helps prevent further dye loss.
1* http://hauteculturefashion.com/hmong-textile-patterns/
Filling:
Buckwheat hulls are an all-natural option that’s safe for both you and the environment.
The hulls are compostable, which helps to reduce unnecessary waste in our landfills and keep our soil healthy and nutrient-rich for future generations.
Buckwheat pillow’s properties:
- Cooling ability – is due to the breathable nature of buckwheat hull fill. The unique shape of the individual buckwheat hulls inside the pillow allows air to flow more freely through the pillow, aiding the evaporation of that moisture. The evaporation produces a cooling effect similar to a fan’s.
- Superior support – a buckwheat pillow’s adjustable loft provides ideal support for everyone regardless of body type or sleep position.
#Livewithahigherpurpose
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