Vietnamese Indigo

 Last visit to Vietnam I was lucky enough to finally head up the valley from Mai chou towards the Loas border to look for the village that does Indigo.

I've known about the general area since 2007, for a long time it was a no go area- too much Golden Triangle nervousness but now it has all been cleaned up, a decent road and I had a spare moment to go look.

Yippee!!

Green H'mong use indigo and batik to decorate their skirts, they then stitch into the batik and add colour. 

The layering of techniques makes extraordinary fabrics.

Same, same but so different to how the Black H'mong create their wonderful collars and sleeve decorations.

Their indigo vats are also same, same but different.

I took notes as I listend but must amit their are holes in my note taking I was too much oohhhhh and aaaahhhh, OH Wow!

that type of thing

Always so much to learn,

Look forward to going back in 2024. I might be able to collect better notes on "how to"

It amazes me that the indigo is just growing in the garden, you grab a handful of leaves and start your vat. We come along to ask questions and Mrs Chi sends her husband out to grab some hemp that she will make into cloth, indigo that will colour it.

That is sustainable clothing!