Hands in indigo dye at Houey Hong, Laos

Introducing visitors to the joy of dyeing

It all starts at True Colour, the Vientiane outlet for the vocational Centre for Women fine textile production. You just need to book your attendance the day before and they organise the transport for you to the center a few kilometres out of town.

The Centre trains women in weaving techniques, and also dyes their silk skeins on the premises. (See bottom of story)


They offer half day workshops in dyeing and/or weaving, so you can happily spend the whole day out there enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.

Hands-on tie dye workshop

We are two students this morning ready to have a go at tie dye on a silk scarf. Sitting on a mat and with the guidance of our teacher, we start folding and tying with plastic string and bamboo sticks to make shibori designs. The Japanese have been there, as they support a number of Laos textile and indigo dyeing organisations.

Will my scarf really look like this?

This one is a bit more intricate, so  we will see!

Now we move to the dyeing workshop where the real fun starts...

Raw silk skeins drying after the first wash before dyeing

First we wet our pieces in clear water

I chose the red colour produced by the lac insect resin for the first piece.

We soak it in a hot bath for about 15 minutes

And of course indigo for the second one. There are several deep vats into the ground.

We work the fabric into the vat, so it absorbs the colour for about 20 minutes.

Revealing time... then thorough rincing.

Our trial shibori work of the day.

To find out more about Houey Hong 

Or drop in at True Colour their shop in Vientiane to see their work.