FABRIC: KAPOK
Region: Cambodia
Fabric Name:
Kapok
Origin:
Bombax ceiba
Who made our fabric:
Samatoa, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Natural history and ecology:
The kapok tree can grow up 13 feet, or 4 meters, per year, and reach heights over 160ft. The large size and growth rate of the trees make the fabric renewable.
What makes this so special: The fiber itself is cylindrical and contains air pockets that keep it from collapsing like other fabrics such as cotton. Because of its wide lumen, it makes a great insulator and stuffing. Its water resistance, thermal capabilities rivaling wool, and softness make it a great emerging fabric in the natural textiles world.
A tree that grows up to 150 feet with a fiber that rivals silk and cotton.
Kapok fibers are gathered from around Siem Reap and Battambang. This majestic tree has an impressive trunk and roots, several of them are known for growing out of Ta Prohm temple at Angkor.
Image courtesy of Samatoa Textiles
“Lotus offers symbolism, the nobility of the soul, beauty and purity. For Samatoa, the lotus represents the culmination of the company’s ultimate quest for excellence.”
— Awen Delaval/Kapok
Awen Delaval
Meet, Awen Delaval, a Frenchman at the heart of a fair-trade promotion association, who was exposed to (and toughened by) the poverty in Cambodia during a trip to Asia. He had the idea of developing natural textiles and bringing them back to life in Cambodia. Seduced by the teaching of the Lotus Sutra he created an itinerary in the same humanist vein.
In 2009, he was introduced to the art of robes made from lotus fibers worn by Burmese monks during an annual celebration. As a designer of eco-friendly textiles, he pursued this craft, setting up a laboratory at his Siem Reap home in search of the perfect lotus to create the unique fabric.
Setting his eyes on a spectacular 15-hectare lotus lake at Kamping Poy (near Battambang), Awen knew he had found his nirvana.