Fabric from Nepal
Nettle fibre textiles from the mountains of Nepal
These products are made from the Himalayan Giant Nettle “Allo” ( Giardinia diversifolia ) .The Allo plant occurs naturally in forests at altitudes above 1500 metres . The plant seeds freely and young shoots sprout annually from the roots . Allo helps to stabalise the soil , an important factor in these fragile mountain areas .
The inner bark of the stem yields fine strong fibres which range among the longest in the plant world . For generations Rai , Gurung and Magar have extracted these fibres by boiling and beating the bark of the stems and then spinning and weaving them to make sacks , bags , straps , jackets or knitted fishing nets .
Besides these traditional products weavers from Sankhuwasabha have recently created a variety of textiles , including knitwear and a combination of nettle and local wool and other fibres for a wider market , which has enabled them to earn the supplementary income essential to survival in this harsh environment .
Your purchase can help the people preseve a rich cultural heritage and protect the mountain area .