Fair Trade Artisan-Made Silk Scarves Support Education in Cambodia
by Emma Grady, New York, NY on 11.28.10
Fashion & Beauty
For , a small, socially responsible company that sells fair trade silk scarves, they're set set on making a difference in the small Cambodian village that inspired the founding of their company: for every silk scarf they sell, they purchase basic school supplies for ten children in the island village of Prek Bongkong, Cambodia. A family of artisans supply Cambodian Threads with their luscious, hand-loomed silk scarves, produced in a sweat-free environment. View photos of the beautiful scarves below.
Photo: Cambodian Threads
Cambodian Threads founders discovered the Heng family's ancient craft of hand weaving silk while visiting the island village of Prek Bongkong in Cambodia, which is twenty miles from Phnom Penh and accessible by ferry across the Mekong River. They now buy the scarves directly from the family and sell them in the US, Canada, and Europe.
Cambodian Threads donates portion of proceeds to support education in Cambodia. Photo: Cambodian Threads
Co-founder Barrie Golden describes the project as "extremely empowering and rewarding" and says the scarves have been well-received by Western markets. Due to the time it takes for the Heng family to produce each scarf, they are only available in limited-edition as the Heng's can only produce 50 each month.
The scarves are available in a variety of colors, with prices starting at $15, at Cambodian Threads.
