Lao Textiles

We Are Legacy has collaborated with Lao Textiles to bring visibility to one of the most intricate and culturally significant silk weaving traditions in Southeast Asia, embedding the story of material, process, and making directly into each piece through We Are Legacy Digital Identity Tags.

Founded by Carol Cassidy, Lao Textiles has played a pivotal role in revitalising Lao silk weaving following decades of disruption after the war. By connecting each piece to its maker, technique, and cultural origin, this collaboration makes visible a body of knowledge that is both highly skilled and at risk of disappearing, ensuring it is preserved and carried forward with the textile itself.

This cushion is handwoven by master female weavers in Vientiane using the ancient Lao technique of discontinuous supplementary weft patterning, where each motif is built thread by thread by hand.

The process is slow and exacting. From preparing and dyeing the silk to dressing the loom and mapping the pattern, every step is carried out manually. Each textile takes over three weeks to complete, with weaving progressing at approximately 10 centimetres per day.

The Climbing Monkey motif, rooted in the traditions of the Tai Mouey people of northeastern Laos, tells a story of movement and meaning. The monkey ascends the coconut palm, the tree of life, symbolising resilience, continuity, and longevity. A piece of heritage, shaped by time, skill, and intention.

Lao silk weaving is defined by its technical complexity and its deep cultural symbolism. The discontinuous supplementary weft technique used at Lao Textiles is one of the most intricate forms of handweaving, requiring the weaver to insert additional threads by hand to build each motif individually.

Unlike repetitive weaving methods, the pattern is not pre-woven into the loom. It is constructed line by line, thread by thread, demanding intense concentration, precision, and years of training.

Equally significant is the pattern-setting process. Designs are prepared through a system of heddles and pattern guides that allow the loom to “hold” complex motifs, preserving traditional knowledge within its structure. This combination of technical mastery and embedded memory makes each textile both a material object and a cultural record.

Lao Textiles, founded by Carol Cassidy in 1990, is a studio and gallery based in Vientiane dedicated to preserving and advancing Lao silk traditions.

In the years following the war, many weaving techniques were at risk of being lost. Through close collaboration with master artisans, Carol Cassidy worked to document, revive, and sustain these practices, creating a space where knowledge could be passed on and adapted for contemporary contexts.

Today, the studio continues to work with artisans whose skills have been handed down through generations. Each textile reflects a balance between tradition and evolution, where ancient techniques are maintained while new expressions are explored.

Lao Textiles’ approach begins with people. The studio works in long-term partnership with artisan communities across Laos, ensuring fair wages, continuity of work, and the preservation of skills that are increasingly rare.

Many of the weavers are women from rural areas, able to generate income while remaining within their communities, supporting both cultural continuity and economic independence.

Material practices are equally considered. Silk is locally sourced where possible, often hand-spun, and dyed using natural pigments derived from plants, bark, and minerals. These processes reduce environmental impact while preserving traditional knowledge.

Production remains small-scale and intentional. Each textile is created on a handloom, often taking weeks to complete, reflecting a philosophy of quality, longevity, and respect for the material.

By sustaining traditional weaving, Lao Textiles contributes to the preservation of biodiversity, cultural knowledge systems, and a way of making that is inherently regenerative. This is not only sustainability, but cultural stewardship.

We Are Legacy, founded in Stockholm in 2024, is a digital platform that is redefining how handmade products are understood- using verified digital tags that connect products to makers, materials, and stories. Through a simple tap or scan, each product reveals key information about its origin, production context, and the people behind it.

This is not about digitising craft.

It is about ensuring its legacy - by restoring value to the people whose hands create it.