Hla Day Myanmar

Ko Thar Gyi is the founder of the Natural Dye Weaving Network, which he started in 2012. Before that, he was a farmer for 10 years. He began the business with three people, with the mission of supporting the local community and preserving the traditional back-strap weaving technique. At its peak, the network included nearly 60 people, including his family members and women from villages around the Mrauk U region.

In the beginning, he produced synthetic-dyed weaving, as he did not yet have the technical knowledge of natural dyeing. Eager to learn, he attended a course at Sandar’s Weaving School in Amarapura, Mandalay. Since then, he has greatly improved the quality of his work, which has also increased demand.

The textiles reflect Chin culture, with patterns inspired by their surroundings. Local leaves, flowers, and herbs are used in the dyeing process, creating an evolving seasonal selection of table runners. Each piece takes about two weeks to complete, from dyeing to weaving.

Due to the unstable situation in Rakhine State, he relocated with his family to Mhawbi. He continues dyeing cotton and now works with around 10 weavers from IDP camps in Mhawbi and Hlegu, producing not only table runners but also table mats, bags, and other products.