Design development cooperation with Tibetan artisan groups

Tibetan Women Center (TWC) and Deykiling Handicraft Center (DHC) both creates job opportunities for Tibetan refugees, mainly women. The design project in cooperation between the designer, Sadhu Subhabrata, IM Fair Trade and the suppliers (TWC and DHC) will affect TWC:s tailoring section, DHC:s weaver and tailoring sections.

The designer, Sadhu, Tsering Youdon (IM Fair Tradecoordinator) and me (IM Fair Trade volunteer) visited the suppliergroups to look at the materials and discuss plans with the managers; Kalsang Wangdu for DHC and Ngodup Wasser for TWC.


Ngdodup Wasser, manager at TWC to the left and Kalsang Wangdu, manager for DHC discussing design development.

So what is planned for these two groups?
The manager of DHC was in favor of new design and the project but was a bit worried about the cost of developing products. It was decided that the yarn and wool in stock should as far as possible be used, it is both faster and cheaper.


Fabric that is weaved at DHC and used for Tibetan jackets and two of the weavers at DHC.

- I plan to develop some new weaves by changing minor loom setting and develop some scarves if possible. Since their fabric is expensive I plan to buy fabric from the market and then use their fabric as accents to develop bags and accessories. I also plan to develop table runners and cushions in their technique of weaving. I will also try to work on some patchwork with them by using their fabric or fabric from outside, says Sadhu about the plans for DHC.


The tailoring section at Tibetan Women Center.

- For TWC we will work on some stitching techniques to create surface and then develop bags and accessories and baby clothes. Some fabric will be procured from the market and rest of the fabrics will be procured from KKM. Techniques will include quilting, patch work and frayed edge appliqué, says Sadhu.

- I focus on two things when it comes to TWC, new fresh design, but they must retain their own identity on them, it should be noticed that they are from here, Sadhu describes.

The main market for TWC and DHC is Tibetan hence it is very important to preserve the Tibetan design in any way in any product. They both also have a small export market and Subhabrata Sadhu planning to design products that might work on an export market.

- There must be a combination of preserving what is good from what already exists and bring new ideas, a mixture of traditional and modern, says Sadhu.

Subhabrata Sadhu says that it is as important for both the groups to maintain and give expression to the Tibetan culture and design of products. However, he talked about reducing the amount of colors and patterns for making accessories and products that can go home to a wider market. The apron by the fabric and other textiles used in Tibetan jackets may be details on the products and combined with more neutral colors.

Strengths and weakness according from a designers point of view
I ask Sadhu to state the suppliers strengths and weakness that can affect their work and design.

- DHC:s strengts is that they have good stitching and weaving skill, a good understanding of quality and colour sense, a positive attitude and a willingness to learn and change. Their weakness is that the productline is expensive, they have limited techniques and lack of dedicated staff to work all the year round.


Tashi Dolma, Tsering Youdon, Subhabrata Sadhu and Ngdoup Wasser looking at the loom and aprontextiles at TWC.

- TWC:s strengts is that they have a positive attitude, a willingness to learn and change, have medium stitching skills and entrepreneurial quality. Their wekness on the other hand is that they have no committed workers to work all the year round, stitching skills is not upto the mark for high end products, they have limited products and a ethnic look of the products, says Sadhu.

One problem with DHC and also for TWC is that the artisans leave their work at the centers for three or four months, usually from September to October, to sell ready-made garment that provides more income. This demands that the collection of samples of the new products must be finished before then, to avoid the project will be on the ice for many months. If the samples can be made in time, the products can be marketed and those who are still at work at the centers can begin the production.

The project plans to start running as soon as possible when Subhabrata Sadhu is finished with the design of the products to the suppliers.

- However there are bound to be many trials before we finalise techniques and choose the right products which can be made easily, he states.

Text by Lilian Sahlin, IM-SOIR Fair Trade volunteer 2010