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The Loft on Thalang Road in Phuket Town is the island's premier
center for home decoration. From original textiles, carvings, furniture
and Buddha images, The Loft carries the most distinctive products
for the sophisticated patron who wants a special memory of a visit
to Thailand.
The directors of The Loft, travel around Asia each year looking
for distinctive handicrafts and fine art that their exclusive clients
demand.
On a recent trip to the northern mountain regions, the proprietors
of The Loft discovered the weaving of the Sop Moei villagers. Living
in a remote valley in the northwest of Thailand near the Burmese
border are eighteen small hamlets of the Pwo Karen. These hilltribe
villagers live in a world of their own, cut off from the greater
world.
In 1988, a program sponsored by the Swedish government was developed
to preserve the arts and crafts of the Pwo Karen and provide more
income for one of Thailand's poorest people.
Today, the Sop Moei weavers have become renowned around the world
for their high quality designs and weaving. Examples of their work
sell in select boutiques in Tokyo and the French Riviera.
The weavers are taught to look carefully at their traditional fabrics
and reinterpret patterns in new and extended ways. A Pwo Karen man's
turban can provide endless inspiration as a single detail can be
printed over an entire width of cloth.
While most of the handcrafted textiles produced on Phuket are thin
and ideal for the island's tropical climate, the Sop Moei weavers
produce clothing, table covers and napkins ideal for the cold weather
of the northern hemisphere.
Contact the Loft at Tel.: 258 160
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