Visit to an umbrella factory!
Trip Start
Oct 02, 2008
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3
13
Trip End
Apr 30, 2009
Chiang Mai,
Thailand
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
we had passed by the factory shop a few times on our way to the woman's home where we are doing a workshop and art therapy.
We were greeted by an extremely eager 20- somthing Thai man, who seemed to want to show us absolutely everything there was to see anout the shop and umbrellas and everything else they stocked which was a lot of jewellery (for you, special price!) and other crafts. I guess this guy worked on comission because he was rushing around us, and attempting to get us to try items of jewellery on. It was a bit much really. Later ihe told me that he disliked his job, he really fooled me - i've never seen anything like it!
paper making tools
The paper for the umbrellas is made there in the factory, from trees which grow localy. the bark is beaten into pulp and soaked. Apparantley the trees do not die as it is only the back which is stripped.There were people working on each stage of the umbrellas, it was interesting to see them taking shape
woman making a frame
umbrellas drying
In this factory they made paper, cotton (for rain) and silk (for sun) umbrellas. They were painted by hand by local artists. i dont think they got a lot of money for it, but their work was beautiful, here is a photo of some finished large umbrellas
painted umbrellas
because the shop was on the tourist trail it was aparrently more expensive, so we left and bought a lovely cheap icecream from a vendor outside. Dont know what i would do with a huge umbrella while travelling anyway!
