Threads of Life Textiles

Threads of Life Textiles Sustaining textile arts of Indonesia since 1998 with 1,200 traditional weavers.

Threads of Life is a fair trade business that uses culture and conservation to alleviate poverty in rural Indonesia. The heirloom-quality textiles and baskets we commission are made with local materials and natural dyes. With the proceeds from the Threads of Life gallery, we help weavers to form independent cooperatives and to manage their resources sustainably.

Have you ever imagined turning a barkcloth into something you can carry with you every day? ⁠⁠Join us for a beginner fri...
29/04/2026

Have you ever imagined turning a barkcloth into something you can carry with you every day? ⁠
⁠
Join us for a beginner friendly workshop where you will craft your own barkcloth notebook from start to finish. Working with this traditional material, you will cut, shape, and bind your piece, discovering its strength, texture, and character along the way. A meaningful introduction to barkcloth through making.⁠
⁠
Craft your own Barkcloth⁠
Notebook with ⁠
⁠
Saturday, 23 May 2026⁠
Threads of Life Gallery, Lungsiakan – Ubud⁠
2 – 5 PM⁠
⁠
550k per person⁠
⁠
⁠
Sign Up at our Ubud Store and Gallery or⁠
chat us on WhatsApp +62 812-3904-0293

Heri, our field staff in Kalimantan, continues to work closely with weaving communities, accompanying them through the p...
29/04/2026

Heri, our field staff in Kalimantan, continues to work closely with weaving communities, accompanying them through the process of preparing and dyeing threads. In this moment, he is seen with oiled threads as part of the mordanting process for morinda red dyed textiles. These ongoing visits and friendships are important to support the continuity of traditional weaving and natural dye practices in Sintang.

This is a traditional cloth from Bali known as rangrang, meaning “space” or “hole” — a reference to its openwork pattern...
24/04/2026

This is a traditional cloth from Bali known as rangrang, meaning “space” or “hole” — a reference to its openwork patterns. Worn by women of Nusa Penida as an upper body wrap during dewa yadnya ceremonies, it carries both cultural and ceremonial meaning. Its intricate design is created through a slit tapestry weave, with each motif shaped by hand. The red comes from the roots of Morinda citrifolia, a natural dye that requires time and skill to achieve. Through our work, Threads of Life supports farmers and weavers across Bali to sustain natural dye practices and keep these sacred weaving traditions alive.

In Bali, glass painting emerged in the early 19th century through the hands of a wayang carver, translating the storytel...
20/04/2026

In Bali, glass painting emerged in the early 19th century through the hands of a wayang carver, translating the storytelling tradition of shadow puppetry onto a ragile surface.⁠
⁠
Like wayang stories, these works draw from epic narratives such as the Mahabharata, where gods, heroes, and mythical beings unfold in layered compositions. Each painting is executed in reverse on glass where technical mastery becomes a requirement.⁠
⁠
Today, only a few master painters remain. We are honored to work with one artist from a village in Buleleng, helping sustain this radition.⁠
⁠
Discover these works, available exclusively at Lungsiakan Gallery.

In Bali, each child is believed to have four spiritual siblings that manifest physically as the umbilical cord, the amni...
06/04/2026

In Bali, each child is believed to have four spiritual siblings that manifest physically as the umbilical cord, the amniotic fluid, the protective white vernix on the skin, and the placenta; after birth, all but the placenta lose their physical form, while the placenta is quickly buried in the family compound, marked with a stone, and ritually cared for—bathed and offered food alongside the child. These sibling spirits remain with the individual for life, receiving prayers and offerings at every ‘otonan’ birthday, celebrated every 210 days. When difficulties arise, a Balinese person may consult a balian healer to restore balance, often through specific rituals or offerings during the next oton; in one such case, a black cepuk sudamala cloth from Nusa Penida was woven—though only one was required, four had to be made—to cleanse the body of negative influences.

Feature Friday:⁠Kalimantan Textile, Craft, and Ecologies with Maduarta Pung⁠24 April 2026, at Threads of Life Gallery⁠⁠E...
06/04/2026

Feature Friday:⁠
Kalimantan Textile, Craft, and Ecologies with Maduarta Pung⁠
24 April 2026, at Threads of Life Gallery⁠
⁠
Essential dye and fibre plants are at the heart of weaving and basketry traditions—bringing color, strength, and meaning to each piece. The knowledge of where to find them, when to harvest, and how to prepare them reflects generations of close relationships between communities and their environment.⁠
⁠
In this Feature Friday session, Maduarta Pung shares stories from the field, exploring the plants behind Kalimantan textiles and crafts. Through these materials, we begin to see how cultural practices are deeply connected to ecological systems—and how changes in the forest shape the future of these traditions.⁠
⁠
Join us for an evening of stories, learning, and conversation.

Tamu Rambu Hamueti is a master weaver and the queen of a kingdom on the Indonesian island of Sumba. She was raised in st...
14/03/2026

Tamu Rambu Hamueti is a master weaver and the queen of a kingdom on the Indonesian island of Sumba. She was raised in strict isolation and has made sure her five daughters all received the freedoms and higher education she lacked. As her daughters return to Sumba, marry and start their own families, her wish to pass on her knowledge of the textile arts and her daughters' interests finally coincide.⁠
⁠
“As we travel away, we have to look back at the roof of our home and that means we as Sumbanese remember where we are from. We must not lose and must never forget our culture and customs.” — Tamu Rambu Hamueti⁠
⁠
Mother of the Blue Darkness is part of Tradition Keepers, a six-part documentary series by Threads of Life and .co that gathers stories of quiet resilience and steadfast resistance of communities who safeguard ancestral knowledge and sustain cultural traditions. Through everyday acts of care and devotion, these traditions remain alive, passing from one generation to the next. The six-part series available on Threads of Life’s YouTube (link on bio).

13/03/2026

From birth to burial, woven cloth has long accompanied life across Indonesia.⁠
⁠
Drawn from the work of 1,200 weavers across the archipelago, these textiles reveal entire worldviews: stories carried in motifs, natural dyes, and intricate structures shaped by generations.⁠
⁠
Tomorrow, we release Mother of the Blue Darkness on YouTube. The film follows a Sumbanese family who continue the ancient practice of indigo dyeing and weaving, preserving the knowledge embedded in cloth.⁠
⁠
Part of the Tradition Keepers documentary series by Threads of Life and .co the film reflects a quiet truth: traditions endure through everyday care, passed patiently from one generation to the next. Five more stories will be released gradually throughout the year.

In Sumba, horses are emblems of wealth, lineage, and spiritual connection, woven deeply into the fabric of daily and cer...
05/03/2026

In Sumba, horses are emblems of wealth, lineage, and spiritual connection, woven deeply into the fabric of daily and ceremonial life. ⁠
⁠
Between February and March, in West Sumba, a ritual war called Pasola is held before the planting season. The ceremony coincides with the arrival of nyale—sea worms that appear around the full moon in the early part of the year—an event traditional Marapu priests interpret as a sign that it is time to sow crops. ⁠
⁠
During Pasola, two opposing groups of horsemen charge toward one another at full speed, launching long wooden spears called pasola, the local term for “wooden spear,” as they thunder across the field. Young men take part by hurling blunted spears at their opponents; in earlier generations, bloodshed was not uncommon, and spilled blood was believed to nourish the soil and ensure fertility. ⁠
⁠
Today, the ritual remains a powerful coming of age, demanding courage and skill, as the island’s small but resilient horses become sacred conduits—carrying riders into a symbolic clash rooted in the Marapu belief system, an offering intended to secure fertility, honor ancestors, and reaffirm communal bonds.

Supplementary patterns such as these are more than ornament—they are heirlooms, passed from grandmother to granddaughter...
03/03/2026

Supplementary patterns such as these are more than ornament—they are heirlooms, passed from grandmother to granddaughter at the moment of marriage, ensuring that tradition endures across generations. ⁠
⁠
Among them is the Patola Ratu motif, inspired by the prized patola textiles traded from India. These long silk or cotton trade cloths once circulated as a form of currency in the spice trade, carrying both material and symbolic value across maritime routes.⁠
⁠
In its local adaptation, Patola Ratu became a potent emblem of authority. Reserved for nobles and kings, Patola Ratu signified power, prestige, and participation in a trade network that linked Sumba to India and beyond.

Last Friday, we gathered for the opening of ‘The Traditional Weaving Cultures of Indonesia’ exhibition at Jenggala Jimba...
02/03/2026

Last Friday, we gathered for the opening of ‘The Traditional Weaving Cultures of Indonesia’ exhibition at Jenggala Jimbaran — and it felt so intimate and warm.

Friends gathered to watch ‘Tradition Keepers: Mother of Blue Darkness’, a documentary created in partnership with Asa Films. The film celebrates the knowledge keepers of Indonesia’s indigo dyeing traditions in Sumba.

At the same time in our gallery, Yansen and Meri led Feature Friday, sharing insights into the motifs and uses of Sumba textiles — reminding us that every pattern carries meaning, and every cloth holds a story.

One reflection from the exhibition stays with us: How do we resist the pull of mass production and stay true to traditions passed down through generations?

It begins with simply valuing what we already have. When we choose to value a weaver’s work, we help keep ancestral knowledge alive. When we respect the land, we help ensure it remains for generations to come.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

Address

Jalan Kajeng No. 24, Kec. Gianyar, Kabupaten Gianyar
Ubud
80571

Opening Hours

Monday 10:00 - 19:00
Tuesday 10:00 - 19:00
Wednesday 10:00 - 19:00
Thursday 10:00 - 19:00
Friday 10:00 - 19:00
Saturday 10:00 - 19:00
Sunday 10:00 - 19:00

Telephone

+6281239040293

Website

http://studio.threadsoflife.com/, http://threadsoflife.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Threads of Life Textiles posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Threads of Life Textiles:

Shortcuts

Share

Category