Researching Textile Craft in Thailand

Jasper Chadprajong-Smith, Assistant Professor, Apparel, received a GEforCD grant in the Fall of 2018 to develop an off-campus global learning course that looked at the crafts related to textiles and apparel in the context of Northern Thailand. Before this grant, Chadrajong-Smith was involved with the British Council in “Crafting Futures–Thailand.” A project that supports local craft workers worldwide to reduce social and economic inequality.

Chadprajong-Smith’s focus with the grant was to connect with communities of weavers, predominantly female weavers, and craft makers of the current and next-generation to better understand their relevance and potential for the fashion industry’s future. He visited Bangkok, Nan, Phrae, Chiang Mai, Sakon Nakhon, and Sukhothai. Chadprajong-Smith’s goal was to raise awareness about handmade products’ cultural and aesthetic value and the future of sustainable crafts and design. This grant formed the Global Summer Study Travel Course From Seed to Cloth: The Mindful Approach to Craft in Thailand.