Inheritance Wisdom of Annatto Dyeing of Thai Lue Culture to the Development of Fashion and Lifestyle Case Study: Tai Lue Weaving Center, Ban Don Moon, Thawangpha District, Nan Province

Abstract

Nan is a province in northern Thailand and is known as a place not to be missed in Thailand. Due to its rich natural and cultural resources, the province is a famous tourist destination. This leads to several research topics on the development of Nan province including creative tourism and cultural studies. In addition, there is the cultural unity of different ethnic groups in the province. However, the local entrepreneur skill in the product development, that supports the community with creative and sustainable tourism, is still insufficient.

This research takes the Tai Lue Weaving Center in Ban Don Moon, Thawangpha District, Nan Province as an example, and develops and designs fashion and lifestyle products based on the inherited wisdom of annatto seed dyeing from the Thai Lue culture. The Weaving Center is famous for its red-orange and coral-colored dyeing from annatto seeds, which are characteristic of their community. Since annatto seeds are easy to find locally, they are often used as a dye. This lifestyle also reflects the lifestyle of the community, especially the people of Ban Don Moon district. In terms of fashion product design in this research, the researcher aims to present the identity of the Tai Lue culture, that is, using combination of red with black and white. The inspiration of the collection design is the outdoor lifestyle related to the local community with a new interpretation. This explains that the use of cultural identity is not limited to the use of clothing structure, but also includes people's lifestyle and identity. Also, the collection design represents contemporary design with the promotion of cultural textile from Nan province.