Indigo dyeing with Hmong women in Sa Pa

Overview

A morning at Indigo Hands Workshop, a cooperative of Hmong women near Sa Pa who grow, dye and stitch hemp cloth by hand. They show you the indigo plants, the vats and how the dye is kept alive for months.

Draw a pattern on hemp with a copper pen and hot beeswax, then dip it in the vat until it turns blue. Your piece is rinsed and dried before you leave, so you take it home the same day.

Highlights

• Three hours with Hmong makers at their workshop
• From indigo leaf to dye vat
• Batik with a copper pen and beeswax
• Take home the piece you made

1. 08:30

   Welcome at the workshop

   Tea with the makers and a short walk around the indigo plants.

   Indigo Hands Workshop, Sa PaLocal partner

2. 08:45

   From plant to dye

   See the fermenting vats and how the women test the dye.

   Indigo Hands Workshop, Sa Pa

3. 09:30

   Batik with beeswax

   Draw your pattern on hemp with a copper pen and hot wax.

   Indigo Hands Workshop, Sa Pa

4. 10:30

   Dye your piece

   Dip, wait and dip again; the cloth turns from green to blue in the air.

   Indigo Hands Workshop, Sa Pa

5. 11:15

   Rinse and dry

   Boil off the wax to see your pattern, then dry the cloth by the fire.

   Indigo Hands Workshop, Sa Pa

6. 11:30

   End of the workshop

   Take your piece home. The shop is open if you want to buy more.

   Indigo Hands Workshop, Sa Pa

Local partners on this tour

Craft workshop in Sa Pa, Lào Cai

Indigo Hands Workshop

On this tour: Your hosts for the morning

A cooperative of Hmong women who grow, dye and stitch hemp cloth by hand. The makers are paid fairly for every workshop.

Indigo dyeingBatik with beeswax

Meet our local partners

What's included

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