Karen Womens Organization

These projects are designed to promote self-sufficiency and improve living standards of women and their families. By providing new opportunities for people in the camps to earn an income, they can supplement the basic rations they receive.

The Weaving Project provides women with training in traditional techniques and start-up materials so they can sell woven items such as bags, blankets, key chain and clothing.

Skills Training such as sewing, bread-baking, candle and paper-making allows women to learn useful new skills.

The "Trickle-Up" Project helped some of the poorest in the community to start a micro-finance business, such as pig-raising and broom-making. This particular project is not currently funded but many of the small businesses continue successfully after the start-up period.

The Income Generation Project (IGP) opened a shop in Mae Sot, Thailand, in 2004 selling Karen Handicrafts to raise money for KWO work and for women weaving in the camps.

To shop and support the KWO and women in refugee camp, please view our Product Catalogue by clicking on the image below and then you can view the several types of the products design. We put product categories separately for easier to download.

Download Catalogue of KWO's Products

Karen bags & purses

KWO has produced a unique range of contemporary bags and beautiful wallets in a variety of designs. The bags all incorporate hand woven textile and come in a variety of colours and sizes.

Each wallet incorporates traditional elements of Karen textiles. Choose from natural dyed, hand woven fabrics in subtle colours to those incorporating bright sarong pieces or embroidery.

	Clothing
	Traditionally Karen people grew cotton to produce their own threads for weaving. Traditional dying techniques are still used by many of the KWO weavers but often we also buy thread from external sources and commercial dyes. Enabling us to incorporate a wider variety of colours and incorporate modern styles into traditional clothing designs.

	Home wares
	Decorative, colourful cushion covers and pillow case to brighten up any home. Plain borders that frame a bright piece of traditionally hand woven textile. A variety of colours and Unique woven place mat that incorporates traditional textiles.

	Karen Scarves
	A unique range of scarves produced in many different styles and colours. Light weight and ideal for day or evening wear whatever the season. Each piece is hand woven by Karen Women and is 100% rayon thread so is soft to the touch.

Weaving is a central part of Karen tradition and culture. Backstrap weaving (pictured above) is the work of women in their homes and produces detailed and high quality bags, shirts, sarongs and blankets. For many families in the refugee camps this is the only source of much-needed income. Men and women weave using large looms to produce large pieces of cloth for blankets and sarongs. Both conventional chemical dyes and traditional natural dyes using bark, earth and other materials sourced from the natural environment are used.

Other Karen handicrafts include basket weaving, sewing and embroidery.

email: kwocentral@tttmaxnet.com

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