Description
A traditional jacket from the mountains of northern Vietnam with three pockets and knotted buttons.
The Daily Jacket is made using handspun and woven Vietnamese cotton that is durable and will look better and better with time and wear.
The cloth comes in two colours. Indigo, naturally dyed in fresh fermented indigo by Lan. Yam, naturally dyed using 4 dye plants by Ntxhais.
The machine sewing is done by Lan and her daughters and daughters-in-law.
Tamay and Me are committed to making garments that respect the people and the land of Northern Vietnam. In the same way that Tamay has always made her clothes.
Fit
Regular Fit
Fits true to size. Size up for a more relaxed fit.
Spec
Three pockets
Knotted buttons
The jackets are handmade and there may be slight variations in colour
Material
100% Cotton
Small-scale production, not certified organic but no chemicals are used.
Naturally fermented indigo dye. Dip dyed 12 times for a deeply saturated colour.
Care
Hand-wash only, in cold water and without any other clothing. The indigo is likely to bleed when washed the first few times, but this is normal and wont affect the colour of the jacket.
Line dry. Hot iron.
Tamay and Me use ancient fermented indigo. There will be some colour rub when new so avoid contact with light colour fabrics and upholstery.
Delivery
UK: Free delivery 3-5 working days from dispatch
Look behind
these
jackets
Strong points
Supporting traditional craft
Small-scale production
No/low pesticide cotton
People
Tamay and Me’s jackets are made in partnership with artisans from marginalised communities in northern Vietnam.
Taphin is a small mountain village in the North of Vietnam near Sapa and the Chinese border. Most of the people who live here are Mien and speak Mien as their first language. They identify themselves through their tiny counted-stitch embroidery. Every year, Mien women spend the whole year making new clothes for themselves and their families to wear at the Lunar New Year celebrations, they then use these clothes through the new year until the next. The more beautiful the embroidery, the more respect a woman will have in the village. The symbols within the detailed work represent village life, rice paddies, children, parents, grandparents, trees, plants and fertility.
The future of traditional textiles in Taphin village, and surrounding areas, is uncertain. In the last twenty years, homes in the village have been connected to electricity, people now have rice cookers, lighting and smartphones. Children have had access to free education for many years now. The next generations' prospects have shifted and there are many more opportunities for work. Vast numbers of tourists visiting the region for many years now have brought jobs and a sense of cultural pride but it does come at a cost to the environment. The change in mountain life has been incredibly fast.
Tamay’s wish is to keep the textile traditions alive for future generations. Together, Tamay & Me have created the jackets to provide flexible work that fits within a traditional way of life and celebrates the traditional cultures of the Mien, Thai, Tay and H’mong. Their handmade, entirely natural jackets are both beautiful and important. The teams who craft them hope to share and celebrate their traditions, encouraging their continuation for generations to come.
Planet
The cotton and indigo are homegrown, without pesticides, in one village in North Vietnam. Tamay goes on a 3-hour motorbike journey to buy the cloth directly from the producers. The White Thai spend all year coordinating the planting, nurturing, and harvesting of rice, cotton and indigo. Once the cotton is harvested, it is beaten and stored, then spun and woven. Indigo dyeing is a fermented alchemic process that mostly happens during the winter. The cloth is dip dyed over the period of a week, from 6 to 21 times - giving it a range of colours from a rich, medium-dark blue all the way to black.
The traditional design is zero-waste. The small amount of left-over fabric is used for the distinctive knotted buttons.
Suppliers
The cotton and indigo are homegrown, without pesticides, in one village in North Vietnam.
The cloth is dyed with naturally fermented indigo by Lan.
The machine sewing is done by Lan and her daughters and daughters-in-law.
Areas for development
Tamay and Me artisans prefer flexible working arrangements, with orders placed based on what they want to make and when. The vision is to grow orders and make the work appealing enough for the younger generation to want to take it on, ensuring that these traditional skills are passed from one generation to the next.