Our Silk Mask Project
Our silk masks are made from left-over silk fabrics from making our silk clothing collection, boheme. We work with Cambodian weavers & dyers to create our original clothes. Over the years, we have accumulated many scraps of silks and it has become our 'Hagire' (left-over fabrics) project.
Our Hagire project is to recycle & repurpose our fabrics. We want to minimize the waste and keep our producers' hands busy.
2020 has been a very different year. With the pandemic, it has become our daily norm to wear face masks. During the lockdown, I was quickly drawn to the idea of making silk masks. Reusable masks are great but I found most of them made in synthetic fabrics...very hot and uncomfortable to wear for a long time. I just knew the wonderful properties of silk fabre and fabrics - natural, breathable, light, soft, etc. - and there were a lot of silk left-overs in our studio!
Our silk masks are handmade by our Khmer tailors who could continue to sew at home during their lockdown. I have provided a couple of patterns to experiment. Our silk masks are not for medical use, but with the inside pocket (also made of silk!) you can insert a filter for additional protection. Our silk masks are ethically made.
(From our workshop in Cambodia)
Another thing I love about our masks are how pretty they look. I lovingly design and coordinate the colours & patterns for our clothing collection, so it's almost like wearing clothes! Hagire project is a bit like patchwork. I spread all the scraps of silk in front of me and coordinate them. For masks, I pick & match the silks for the body and outer frame of the mask. Just like clothes, the frame color (piping) makes a great difference to the overall look. Matching in harmony or contrasting twist? Small details speak volumes, even for small things like masks!
Emiko / emgallery
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