RAW & REAL - Handspun Cotton

CENTRAL THAILAND

Cotton fabrics in earthy and vibrant tones — beautifully textured, naturally heavy, and full of character. And it all starts quite literally from zero: locally grown cotton, hand-spun, and dyed with the colors nature offers — mango, fang, pradu — before being woven into long scarves. RAW & REAL — we’re proud to share these special pieces in our Marketplace.

Women turning thread into art

Across Thailand, several women’s groups keep this traditional craft alive, creating unique textiles one thread at a time. Our partner Pla, originally from northern Thailand and now living between her homeland and Paris, helps us select the pieces and translate their stories. “I’m so glad to talk to people who love Thai handcrafted items as much as I do,” she says. “Honestly, I could talk for hours.”

A glimpse into the RAW & REAL palette

The colors are born from leaves, bark, and flowers — from whatever nature happens to give at that moment. Pla keeps tiny jars of pigment from each batch to compare shades later, knowing that no tone will ever be quite the same.

Nature decides the color. Weather, soil, and season all play their part. “The green from the mango leaves turned out so deep this time — that’s a real highlight,” Pla smiles.

Where our handspun colors come from:

Kaew – mustard yellow from tree bark
Fang – purplish red from fang wood
Lichee + Kram – olive green from lychee and indigo
Pradu – warm copper brown from pradu wood
Kram – deep indigo blue, the timeless classic
Dam – black from natural soil or charcoal

Traditional or plain — to wear or to live with

The dyed threads are woven by hand into scarves and large wraps. We’ve chosen a few of the heavier, textured cotton scarves for SoRarePieces — perfect to wear as a wrap, stole, or shawl.

There are also larger pieces, which Pla suggests using as decorative fabrics — or transforming into cushion covers or bags. “Everyone loves indigo,” she laughs. “And the checked patterns — that’s a traditional technique. Good to know, right?”

Yes, it is. We love every story and detail behind these handspun cotton pieces! If you love them too, explore our Shop — and read more in our Journal.