Threads of Life: Preserving Time-Honoured Textile and Natural Dye Traditions

Threads of Life 1 — Guest Artist Exhibition at Threads of Life Gallery in Lungsiakan. Photo courtesy of Satria Parabawa

In Bali, textiles play an integral role in its cultural heritage, from their use in the daily lives of the Balinese to religious rituals and ceremonies, they are not mere articles of clothing but a living tradition in itself instilled in symbolism and meaning.

Since 1998, one brand has been a notable champion of Indonesia’s textile and basketry heritage. Founded by William Ingram, Jean Howe and I Made Maduarta, Threads of Life was created in response to the collapse of weaving traditions during the Southeast Asian economic crisis.

Threads of Life adheres to five pillars integral to their business: sustaining culture by restoring pride in traditional ways, resorting art forms by promoting traditional textiles as a refined art, empowering women and communities by working directly with weavers in their villages, conserving nature by using sustainably harvested natural dyes, and generating sustainable livelihoods by helping weavers form independent producer groups and making long-term commitments to buy from those groups.

Threads of Life 2 — Photo courtesy of Satria Parabawa

Threads of Life 3 — Photo courtesy of Satria Parabawa

This year, Threads of Life is focusing on improving its fieldwork across Indonesia as a continued commitment to supporting and maintaining good relationships with weavers and natural dyers after the interruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parallel to this, Threads of Life’s Natural Dye Studio in Petulu, Ubud, has added more classes and workshops to its repertoire, while its Dye Garden collaborates with the Bebali Foundation on the Morinda Project to improve cultivation practices of the archipelago’s main red dye.

The studio offers a wide range of natural dye classes available on the studio website, making natural dyeing accessible for everyone to learn. Recognising the importance of regeneration and collaboration towards sustaining textile and natural dyeing traditions, Threads of Life is working with Cinta Bumi Artisans, who are dedicated to preserving Indonesia’s ancient barkcloth traditions. This collaboration will result in two barkcloth workshops at the end of October and an exhibition that will run through October and November.