REPORT FROM NEPAL - FEBRUARY 2001

SUSUMAMA IN NEPAL SUMMER 2001

Dear friends,

Well here we are again, amongst old friends and new in Kathmandu. This is just a lightning trip of 12 days to work out some new ideas, and I have taken my son Alex, now 8, along for the ride.

At the point that I write this, we are about halfway through our stay here. I have been putting in 12-hour days, as I am trying to produce a whole host of new things, plus trying to home-teach Alex on the road. Really, when my friends in London wave me off, and wish me a nice holiday, they have no idea! I think they have this picture of me lying around in a hammock, or something. If only!

The new stuff we are producing falls under several categories. Firstly there are new cotton knitwear coloursways in hot summer shades, then a range of cute cotton jersey dresses, T-shirts, and leggings, in air/fire/water/earth themes with Egyptian embroidery details, and finally, my pet project at the moment, fantasy dressing up clothes; golden faery wings, silver spacesuits, native American tunics, and witch/wizard outfits. I’m working hard, but having fun!

I’ve checked out a new producer for my summer cotton jersey range, using our fair trade criteria. This small manufacturer employs about 10 people full time, and their factory is bright and airy and full of good cheer. The raw material, i.e. undyed cotton is imported from India. As a small country, Nepal does not produce it’s own textiles, a small amount of wool being the exception. Almost all raw materials are imported in from neighbouring countries. We avoid mass produced cotton from china, as it feels distasteful to support a country whose human rights records are so appalling. However, I do buy materials, i.e. Tibetan wool, from small Tibetan suppliers. Officially, this is classed as “Chinese” goods, but I will always see these people as Tibetans.

Om mani padme hum Blessed is the jewel in the lotus

Carli Su Su Ma Ma World Wear
March 30th, 2001