At Aspara Silk we work closely with individual artisans and weaver groups to build viable businesses that can sustain families and communities in developing countries.

Every one of our producer organizations is unique, with some set up specifically to support disadvantaged groups, or help a particular community.

Each season we introduce our visitors to one of our talented artisans so you can meet the people behind our products.

Chantha's Story

A hidden gem in Cambodia's remotest region

Stung Treng is an isolated, northern province of Cambodia. One of the first regions to fall under Pol Pot’s control, the influence of the Khmer Rouge continued in parts of the area until 1999. Now a peaceful town, Stung Treng is rebuilding itself around its small fishing industry and one woman's remarkable silk weaving programme.

Chantha founded the Stung Treng Women’s Development Center (SWDC) in 2001. For nine years the Centre has helped women in Cambodia’s poorest backwater break the cycle of poverty. By improving living standards and offering programs in literacy and health education, vocational training and employment, Chantha has shown that when you give Cambodians the opportunity and support anything is possible.

Woven from 100% natural silk and hand-dyed in shades ranging from deep scarlet to shimmering turquoise, the award-winning Mekong Blue Scarves Project has been running since 2003 and now produces some of the finest silk products in Cambodia. By purchasing one of Aspara’s scarves you are directly supporting the Centre and securing a better, brighter future for the women weavers and their families.

Chantha believes in a long-term approach to women's empowerment. The weavers spend a year in literacy training before learning the silk craft. Just setting up the loom can take more than two weeks with the weaving process lasting a month for larger shawls. Such dedication to quality and design explains why the Centre has become famous throughout Cambodia for the superiority of its handwoven silk. International success soon followed with Mekong Blue scarves receiving the coveted UNESCO award for the superior quality, originality and creativity.

A caring employer and savvy businesswoman, Chantha has watched the Center grow to become the largest private employer in a province of 102,000 people and the only handicraft project in the area. Her creative flair and talent can be seen in Aspara's Garnet and Topaz Shawls, which are the standout pieces of our winter collection.

We are humbled and inspired everyday by women like Chantha who show that it is possible to be ethical, entrepreneurial and innovative year after year.