January 17, 2024
BANGKOK – In a style landscape dominated by fast fashion and synthetic fabrics, Thailand’s younger generation rarely encounters the age-old charm of “hand-woven cloth” in their everyday attire.
Recognising this disconnect, DoiTung, a brand deeply rooted in the social enterprise Mae Fah Luang Foundation for over three decades, has undertaken the ambitious mission of reshaping perceptions around Thai handwoven fabric.
Breaking free from its conventional image, DoiTung seeks to transform this culturally rich craft into tangible fashion through its latest “Everyday” collection. This collection not only encapsulates a commitment to sustainability but also embodies a distinctive, playful and contemporary aesthetic.
DoiTung’s journey, encapsulated in the mantra “An Enterprise for a Better World”, has been fuelled by a simple question: “What do the community, society and the environment gain?”
Focus on empowerment
The brand not only imparts vocational skills to uplift hill tribe communities but also places a strong emphasis on environmental responsibility. Operating under eco-friendly production principles, DoiTung minimises chemical usage, adopts cost-effective raw materials and employs a “zero waste” approach through reduction, reuse, repair, recycling, and upcycling.
The brand’s sustainable efforts have earned it the prestigious Design Excellence Award (DeMark) for five consecutive years, recognising its outstanding contributions in Lifestyle, Creative and innovative Fashion, and Packaging Design categories.
While preserving traditional weaving skills passed down through generations, DoiTung is also collaborating with young designers and integrating modern technology to enhance production techniques. This ensures that contemporary handwoven fabric maintains its traditional, handmade essence.
Master craftsmanship
Drawing inspiration from nature, personal stories and diverse tribal cultures, DoiTung’s handwoven fabric emerges as a masterpiece of craftsmanship. The brand offers two distinctive product lines – the long-established “Classic” and the emerging “Everyday” line.
The “Everyday” collection, themed “The Extraordinary Ordinary”, presents ready-to-wear clothing, bags and cushion covers predominantly in blue, white and black tones. Each piece incorporates captivating details, such as colourful lines and hill-tribe patterns, offering a blend of contemporary aesthetics with traditional charm.
Highlighted pieces from the collection include a blue crop top with a hood that can be worn to liven up office attire, ruffled shorts with tie-dye accents and chic yet comfortable Hmong pants made from stretchy material.
The collection also features a collaboration with the Philippines’ social enterprise, R2R, resulting in multi-way bags that showcase modern, unique weaving patterns representative of conscious fashion.