Houey Hong Vocational Training Center for Women
Good for: Families, beginners, craft and textile lovers
- Address
- Ban Houey Hong
- Transport
- Phone
- 560006
- Hours
- 8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Sat
Lonely Planet review for Houey Hong Vocational Training Center for Women
You can learn how to dye textiles using natural pigments and then weave them on a traditional loom at the Houey Hong Vocational Training Center for Women. The NGO group, run by a Lao-Japanese woman, established this centre north of Vientiane to train disadvantaged rural women in the dying art of natural dyeing and traditional silk-weaving practices. Visitors can look for free or partake in the dyeing process (US$12, two hours, two stoles) or weaving (US$15, whole day). You keep the fruits of your labour.
Traveller reviews for Houey Hong Vocational Training Center for Women (2)
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Appreciate the skill of Lao weavers while trying it yourself
janetvientiane recommends this,
This training centre uses only natural dyes for their silk and cotton, and the results show in their beautiful products on sale at reasonable prices at their shops in the training centre and True Colours on Setthathirath Road. It was a privilege to get a hands on mini experience of weaving for 1 day, achievable for adults and children. The tie-dyeing is also 2 hours well spent. Best of all, we proudly brought our creations home.
I felt the real lesson was in appreciating the skill, knowledge, work and cultural background that goes into every piece of weaving that you see made here and throughout Laos. As a beginner you can make a few centimetres of plain colours, but when helped to make the simplest pattern the intricacy of the craft/art comes into play - baffling at first!
The work that you see the weavers creating in the airy workspaces is truly impressive. Specialist items created here included weaving with posaa mulberry paper, and a range of 'obis' for men and women's kimonos for export to Japan.
Good for: Families, beginners, craft and textile lovers
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Loved the weaving course!
litchiprune recommends this,
Houey Hong offers courses in weaving and dying silk. It's a great thing to do with a few friends: it's a lot of fun, very interesting, and it gives you so much more respect for the weavers of Laos once you realise how hard the work is!!
Houey Hong center is located a little outside of Vientiane (they will take you to the training center from their shop on Vientiane main street by car), it's a gorgeous place. Full of trees and the sound of cicadas, really beautiful.
A really great day outing to learn a bit more about traditional Lao crafts!
