ARTISAN HANDCRAFT
The Art of Hemp Production
In the mountain villages of Nepal hemp has been used for centuries because of its strength and durability. Indigenous to Nepal, hemp requires little cultivation or mechanical processing and quickly regenerates after cutting. It is the ultimate environmentally friendly Nepali product.
Sustainable Nepalese Hemp
Ganesh Himal Trading works with a producer group in Nepal that is committed to developing environmentally friendly products using this indigenous hemp and that is committed to implementing fair trade principles in their business.
The hemp fabric used in these products is grown, woven and dyed with plant dyes in the villages of western Nepal. It is then tailored in Bhaktapur to make our hemp wallets, hemp bags and hemp hats.
The workers involved in creating these fine products receive a fair wage, full medical coverage, bonuses and pension benefits, housing loans and paid leave for their work. They are encouraged to voice grievances and discuss resolutions to problems that arise in the workplace. When you purchase Ganesh Himal Trading hemp products you keep traditional hemp weaving alive in the villages, help support environmentally friendly products in Nepal and support workers who receive the benefits of fair trade.
HEMP: From Village to Bag, a journey across a country
1.Harvest
Hemp grows naturally in the jungles of far western Nepal without pesticides, fertilizers or chemicals of any kind. At the end of its life cycle (4 months), villagers gather the hemp knowing that it will regenerate. Wasting nothing, seeds are used for cooking oil while the stems are kept for their fiber.
2. Softening
Collected stems are placed in a mud hole with water for several weeks in order to soften the material. When ready, the bark is separated from the stem.
3. Teeth tearing
Once soft, villagers use theirteeth to tear apart the barkfibers into strips, thinner and thinner until it resembles thread.
4. Weaving
Villagers weave the threads using a back-strap loom (A simple loom which has its roots in ancient civilizations comprising two sticks between which the warps are stretched. One stick is attached to a fixed object and the other to the weaver usually by means of a strap around the back. ) Each strip of fabric produced ranges from 6-24 inches wide, depending on the weaver’s reach.
5. Boil & Beat
The fabric is then boiled in ash water for a few hours, after which they beat it with a flat wooden stick, softening the fabric. The villagers receive approximately $5 USD per finished piece of hemp (most Nepalese live on $1 a day, with an average income of less than $200).
6. Transport
Porters journey village to village collecting one to four pieces of hemp from each home. This collection takes several days as villages are distanced days from each other. Once the pieces are collected, they are carried to the nearest bus station in Bajura Bazar or Dune Bajar, an additional day’s walk. These district “head quarters” are 700 miles north west from Kathmandu, an additional 2 day journey by bus.
“(The production of hemp) helps a lot, especially in village to buy their needs like medicine and to pay their children’s school fees. the fabric piece is about 3.5 meters long and earns them $5/piece. They do all this job while villagers have time from their farming. it is their extra income. the thing is, if these hemp cut off and collected by the villagers, it come grows dense next season. it even helps the environment” – Aryal
Sadle Trading
Located in Bhaktapur, Sadle creates environmentally sustainable products from materials such as hemp, no kill leather and recycled rubber inner tubes. It was founded in 1984 and currently works with 30 jewelers and tailors. Sadle is the oldest and largest exporter in Nepal and works to source all of it’s raw materials from Nepal, which in turn, supports the local economy. This producer group is very committed to breaking down caste barriers and religious differences between employees, so that everyone is treated equally, the working environment is harmonious, and every individual is well paid.
Love the story? Shop our Hemp Products
Bring a piece of this legacy into your home. Each item is handcrafted with care by Nepali artisans receiving steady work, fair pay, and community support
