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East meets West Ock Pop Tok, meaning “East Meets West” in Lao, is the perfect analogy for the meeting of British Jo and Laotian Veo, our two co-founders. Since the beginning, our artisan social enterprise, based in Luang Prabang, Laos, has been trying to bring two worlds together. Merging traditions from the east with innovation from the west has allowed us, since 2000, to elevate the profile of Lao textiles and contribute to its preservation. Discover Laos through textiles at our Living Crafts Centre in Luang Prabang and online. About Us We believe culture is dynamic, and as such innovation in pattern, colour and functionality is important to keep textile traditions culturally and commercially viable. Our products are made using the finest, locally sourced natural and organic raw materials. Our Mission Ock Pop Tok (meaning “East Meets West” in Lao) was founded on the principles of fair trade and sustainable business practices. The company was pioneering social business and ethical fashion before these terms were even a part of our cultural lexicon. Read more

Support. Preserve. Share. Ma Té Sai is a social enterprise on a mission to support communities in Laos, through partnerships with artisans – preserving cultural traditions by sharing with the world the beauty of their handcrafted products. Ma Té Sai was founded in Luang Prabang in 2010 with the knowledge of how income from craft production can improve rural families’ education and health. And along side the desire to distribute the tourist dollar further out to these ethnically diverse and culturally rich communities. Over a decade we have trained women to sew, and supported them with equipment in their homes. By connecting weavers, and sewers we can create unique and desirable homeware, fashion and gifts for the international market. We believe with modern communication village production is the way forward. We select and co-create beautiful gifts, textiles and homewares handmade by people from villages across Laos. Read more

Located in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC) is a local social enterprise founded in 2006 to promote the appreciation and transmission of Laos’ ethnic cultural heritage and livelihoods based on traditional skills. The Centre’s primary activities are two-fold: a museum, and fair-trade handicrafts stores directly linked with artisan communities across Laos. TAEC’s work includes school outreach activities, craft workshops, lectures, research, and a non-profit foundation in the USA. The Centre has expanded to include a growing collection of ethnic minority artefacts, a small library, family activity centre, and outdoor patio space for special events. TAEC has emerged as a regional leader in cultural heritage management and community development. It is the only independent resource and learning centre for both foreign visitors and local citizens dedicated to the country’s many and diverse ethnic groups. Read more

Lao Forest Teas is a social enterprise which assists poor Lao farm families in the northern mountains of Laos to overcome poverty and improve their livelihoods by the production and sale of quality natural teas grown in the forest from seedlings of ancient tea trees. We are a wholesaler of these quality teas purchasing from small tea companies assisting tea farmers or we directly buy tea too from villagers. Story of Lao Tea and Natural Products Lao Tea and Natural Products is the result and outcome of rural development programs in Phong Saly Province starting from 2000.  Puer tea varietal was one viable upland and highland crop with market demand from China and with good growing conditions and chosen by the villagers. The purpose of the company and related social enterprise is to source four Puer tea varieties from mountain villages to enable the villagers to have sustainable markets with fair trade prices and organic and natural certifications.  Part of the proceeds from tea or natural product sales will fund community village improvements such as schools, student dormitories, village medic supplies and scholarships for ethnic villagers. The efforts of the company are in coordination with local Lao Government authorities to ensure understanding and shared objectives to assist poor highland villages with sustainable social and economic development in distant areas while protecting the natural environment. Read more

DakDae central of organic and natural products (agri-processed products): tea, coffee, body wash, home cleaning, beans. DakDae selling organic and natural products more than 200 list. Beauty and bodycare, snack, drinks, tea, coffee, rice, brown sugar, sesame, beans, natural dish soap, floor cleaning, laundry soap. Dakdae is Lao name which mean cocoon, a cocoon that looks all the same when they are young but in fact it hidden different beauty, talents and characteristic in side that might not able to visualize. But one day, these cocoon will grow up and become butterflies that have various naturally beauty and role that make ecosystem become diversify. Dakade represent young entrepreneurs and artisas that DakDae social enterprise aim to coach and provide opportunity for them to share/show their talents and generate income in parallel with positive social and environmental impacts. Read more

Daomany furniture Wai Lao started as a small family business in 1994 and has now evolved into a manufacturer of high-quality handcrafted Lao rattan furniture. We utilize FSC-CoC certified authentic rattan as a raw material to ensure that all of the company’s furniture production procedures are carried out in a way that does not affect the forest environment from raw material harvest to customer hands. Rattan furniture is a fantastic choice for your home as it is comfortable, stylish, and long-lasting. We offer high quality rattan furniture at great prices. Whether you are shopping for your vacation home or want to bring a natural, easy-breezy style for the living room, we can offer beautiful, comfortable options. We can produce furniture to measure or to your design specifications, and supply fabrics and designs to suit your unique requirements. When you wish to buy quality rattan furniture please contact us first. Read more

Thaan Fun believes in local wisdom, including the use of herbs. Based on this local wisdom, we develop natural personal and home care products. We also work with farmers in the community to grow organic herbs and produce for processing at a fair price. Our products combine Lao herbal wisdom with the understanding of how beneficial micro-flora can bring healing to both body and environment. The presence of life-promoting beneficial microbes reinforces enzyme activity, supporting and developing antioxidant,s and increasing natural cleansing and medicinal properties in our products. The probiotic concept serves to increase our natural defense against bad bacteria while helping restore a positive microbial balance to the environment. Naturally occurring saponin found in soapnuts is used as a surfactant (bubbles in the soap). Extractions of beneficial elements from plants and fruits are fermented, eliminating the need for shelf life extension chemical preservatives like Paraben. Pineapple and citrus fruits possess anti-oxidant enzymes that function as a natural degreaser and deodorizer. Their natural medicinal properties gently cleanse without the need to use harmful chemicals. Read more

TaiBaan was started by PADETC, a Lao NGO, as a fair trade social business that works with traditional handicraft artisans to preserve and promote Lao village crafts, create employment opportunities for villagers – mostly women – and reduce poverty. TaiBaan was originally named Saoban. In 2020, Saoban was renamed TaiBaan to reflect rebranding needs of the company. TaiBaan means ‘village or a community of villages’ in the Lao language. TaiBaan supports more than 15 village crafts groups of many ethnic communities across 10 provinces of Laos. When you buy from TaiBaan Crafts, you provide employment and training for the artisans, and the profits stay in the village communities.   Read more