The ‘Great’ way of doing things

Silk weaving has been part of traditional Lao life for centuries with mothers passing the skill down to their daughters. Sadly, like many other traditions, it is losing out to modern lifestyles and the desire and need to earn more. 

Now one woman, Viengsouthoula Phetsanghane, director of Ammalinh Lao Silk, has set herself the task of preserving Lao weaving by helping rural weavers earn a sustainable income. 

Each month, Viengsouthoula designs patterns that she sends to these rural weavers. Based on market demand, the final products are supplied mainly to domestic customers while small quantities are exported.

“If weavers have orders as well as different designs to follow, they are able to preserve the traditions passed on to them by their ancestors,” says Viengsouthoula, who was honoured as an excellent entrepreneur at the second Asean Women Entrepreneurs forum held last month in Hanoi.

“If we can ensure they earn a decent income from weaving, they will happily continue rather than look for other jobs.”

Viengsouthoula fell in love with Lao silk textiles at a young age, “After learning from older people that Lao women wearing Lao silk textiles are like beautiful flowers,” she recalls. Despite having no background in weaving, she worked hard to educate herself about the patterns and those who made the beautiful silks and was dismayed to witness women weavers leaving their looms to look for other jobs. 

Many customers who wear Ammalinh’s silk textiles know well about her styles, which still feature the touch of traditional patterns from centuries ago.

At present, Viengsouthoula makes designs for more than 70 rural weavers, helping them to earn money both as a pastime or as their regular work. 

 “I have two groups of weavers, those who work for salaries and women who are not able to work outside because they have to take care of their families but need weaving as a pastime to make some extra money,” she says of her efforts to support underprivileged weavers.

More rural weavers are interested in returning to their looms, she adds. 

Viengsouthoula is a member of the Asean brand “The Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women” known as Great Women for short. Developed in the Philippines in 2011, Great Women was launched last year at the Asean Small-Medium Enterprise Showcase and Conference in Malaysia.

The brand aims to promote the products made by Asean womens’ enterprises for greater sales and business growth, thus allowing the enterprises to employ more workers and improve livelihoods, especially in rural areas. 

Great Women is also an Asean initiative to build a regional integrated supply chain for such products to reach the global market. 

Viengsouthoula says the initiative has encouraged rural silk weavers across Laos to apply for Great Women membership and thereby expand their market. 

Some Lao enterprises and weavers have already become members and are distributing their products through the brand’s head office in the Philippines.

Ammalinh Lao Silk also sends its silks to the Philippines for onward export to the US and Europe.

 Viengsouthoula hopes that one day her daughter will take over this business and follow in her footsteps.

“But even if she doesn’t , I will still be pleased knowing that our heritage is being preserved,” she says.