Last night (October 24) was the concluding event of the Maiwa Textile Symposium. New this year is a lecture/event that focuses on the work of the Maiwa Foundation. Maiwa's founder, and director of the foundation Charllotte Kwon, gave a talk that focused on a visit to the Living Blue project in Bangladesh.

Charllotte situated the project in contrast to the industrial garment production which dominates the national economy. The talk was illustrated with photos and video clips showing the work that the foundation did in troubleshooting dyeing techniques and looking over the systems of craft production.

Charllotte gave a passionate appeal to look to craft, not as charity, but as the natural resource of a culture that is located in the head and heart of an individual.

The Threads lecture was also an opportunity to launch the new Foundation book. A hardcover book documenting the work of the Maiwa Foundation since its inception.

The book is available to order online here: http://www.maiwa.com/home/books/books/index.html

Here are some preview pages of the book.