As part of our Give Back program (where we donate a portion of the profits from our retreats to local non-profits), we support Threads of Life in Bali.
Threads of Life works directly with over 1000 women in more than 35 cooperatives across Indonesia’s Islands from Timor to Kalimantan. They “actively encourage weaving communities to revive and maintain techniques of weaving and natural dyeing that are in danger of disappearing. We provide economic and technical support while cooperatives research and rediscover local practices.”
When we visit Bali on our retreats, our guests are able to take a textile class with these artists in batik dyeing, but you don’t have to go all the way to Bali to support these artisans! You can purchase directly from their shop online here! They have everything from textiles to woodwork.
They share newsletters where they feature a specific style of textile, like this one below, and provide education and context behind it:
Located off the east coast of Bali, Nusa Penida is the largest of the three islands found in the Badung Strait. The dry, craggy, limestone landscape is difficult to farm. Until recently, a coastline of sheer cliffs dropping into the Indian Ocean has made the island difficult to access. Believed to be the legendary home of the powerful demon, Jero Gede Mecaling, Nusa Penida has an enigmatic reputation as an origin point of magic in Bali.
Nusa Penida remains among the few places in Bali where traditional dyeing and unique weaving techniques continue to survive. Its cotton weft ikat textiles are a rarity in Indonesia. This weft ikat agal features a crab motif. Crabs are found in the fields at the start of the short rainy season on this small island. When farmers see the crabs they know it is time to plant their crops. Indicators from nature such as this are important to all indigenous communities.
Agal Endek Weft Ikat fabric
This is just one example, but you can support them from afar by purchasing anything from their shop. Bali was hit hard during the pandemic with the loss of tourism, so we want to get the word out and give back to this kind and welcoming community.
