This old-pink cotton scarf or table runner was made by hand.
No machine or chemical dye was involved in making this thick scarf.
Only hands led to this result.
It started from sowing the cotton on our mountainside in Chiang Mai.
The cotton grows with the rainwater that falls during the rainy season, no rivers or lakes are drained and it is exciting every year to see how big the harvest is.
Sustainable cotton
The scarf is made of cotton grown and harvested in a sustainable way.
Farmers cultivate the land on a small scale without pumping rivers and lakes dry.
The annual rainy season provides sufficient irrigation.
Nature thus provides variable harvests, making organic cotton scarce and expensive in Thailand.
Yet the result makes the effort more than worth it:
There is no environmental damage and the high-quality fabrics stand the test of time with ease.
Thus, this scarf lasts a long time and does not wear out quickly.
And the fact that you wear it for a long time with pleasure and pride is also better for your wallet.
Hand-spun
If you look at the vintage pink cotton scarf or table runner in detail, you will notice the uneven thickness of the yarn.
This gives more structure and depth to the fabric.
The raw cotton, after removing the cotton seeds, was spun by hand by spinners into fine threads.
She deliberately spun the yarn thickly to make the scarf/table runner nice and warm.
This way, no polluting machines have to be used in making the yarn either.
And we think it is important that the spinners get a fair price for their work.
Read also: Hand-spun cotton – features and benefits
The juice tree colours the pink yarn
The colour of this shawl was sourced using age-old techniques from raw materials that grow in nature.
For instance, the wood of the Sappan tree coloured the yarn of this beautiful shawl.
The weaver learned from her (grand)mother how to extract the colour from this.
Before weaving, she dipped the yarn several times in this durable dye.
Thanks to your purchase, the traditional craft of dyeing and weaving will be preserved.
Read also: Ecological dyes for clothes
Woven on a wooden loom
On a wooden loom, weavers make the most beautiful scarves.
The tradition of weaving is passed on from generation to generation.
Read about it in How are our hand-woven scarves made?
Our weavers live in a dry environment for much of the year.
When there is no work on the land, they try to contribute to the family income by weaving their fabrics.
They are therefore very grateful for your support.
The fine cotton still feels a bit stiff at first.
This is because the yarn has been washed in rice water beforehand.
That way, the threads could be woven tight and strong.
The fabric gets softer with use and after each wash.
It is a scarf you will enjoy for years.
Read also: Nine advantages of a cotton scarf
A sustainable gift from nature
This old-pink cotton scarf or table runner from TheHappyScarf is a unique gift.
You not only support the weaver in the hot countryside but also choose a solid fabric.
No mass production, no exploitation, no harmful chemicals, no polluted rivers but natural materials blended with care and love for the craft.
Indirectly, with our story, you tell the lucky recipient that you have put work into your search for a special gift for him or her.
