Pillow - Vintage Karen Hill

This is an unique pillow made from vintage Karen Hill Tribe Shirts! The Hmong lining is so well made that it can almost be turned into another pillow. We write almost because the zipper is NOT reversible. 

Front: Vintage Karen Hill

Back: Vintage Karen Hill

Lining: Hmong fabric

Size: 14" x 21"

*Handmade

*pillow insert not included.  

Care instructions:  Dry Clean Only

*Each piece carries a story, therefore some textiles may have minor defects.

 Story Behind the Art:

Kai, a young Thai woman, has a loving spirit and a positive outlook on life! She helps her family and other people in her village in Northern Thailand by providing jobs for them. Together they make beautiful pieces. So much love and pride goes into their work. 

The Karen Hill tribe can be traced back to the twelfth century and it is thought that they originally came from Tibet, through China, Myanmar (Burma) and then to Thailand.

In Thailand they mostly live in the more remote mountainous areas due west of Chiang Mai. They are subsistence farmers who live at peace with nature and the forests. The Karen Hill tribe settled in what is termed the 'middle level' in the mountains, namely between 800 and 1,800 meters.

They were semi-nomadic people using swidden (slash and burn) farming methods, moving around on a seven year cycle. However, around 1968 the Government insisted that they must stop moving around. They were offered Thai IDs and land rights if they could prove longevity. Now they are settled, but their lifestyle is still influenced by their culture.