Hand Crocheted Animal Tape Measures made by displaced persons in Vietnam
Tens of thousands of people who fled Vietnam after 1975 were unable to find countries to resettle them. As a result, thousands remained in refugee camps in Hing Kong for decades. When the camps were closed, the inhabitants were forced to repatriate to an unwelcoming Vietnam, where they were placed in new encampments. To this day, this group of dispossessed persons struggle in substandard living conditions. Local NGO's (Non-governmental organization) now train them in income generating skills such as crocheting, and these tape measures are a product of their long journey.
About Wooven
"Wooven is co-located in Biddeford, Maine, and Saigon, Vietnam, where we maintain a workshop with the best sewists around! We source our textiles and other handmade goods from makers in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. We're committed to the principles of fair trade and ethical sourcing in all ways possible. Our goal is simply to help the makers improve their living standards by reorienting their designs and upping their overall quality and production methods!
Thanh "Albert" Nhan and I started Wooven in 2017 to get back to our roots in handmade. In 2019 we opened a small retail store in the up-and-coming city of Biddeford on the coast of southern Maine. We hope you'll try what we offer and together we can grow in partnership, based on a clear understanding that we need each other to survive and grow." -Ron Briggs co founder
