This work originally began with a small group of refugees who first fled from Burma into camps in Northern Thailand and then were granted political asylum in the US. While the Karen hill tribers continue to form a core part of our artisans, we are continually working with other refugees who are not from the Karen hill tribe. The refugees we work with came to Austin and are supported through the tireless efforts of Refugee Services of Texas and Caritas of Austin . Our goal is to make sure that every refugee woman here in Austin who would like to participate in our group has access to supplemental income and marketable skills.

How did you get the looms and yarns to make the traditional bags?

It wasn’t easy! You can’t just go to Wal-Mart and pick up a back strap loom. Back strap looms are a collection of variously sized rods that can be joined together, tied to something, and wrapped around the weaver’s back to create the loom she then uses to weave bags, shirts, and other items. Some of the Karen women brought back strap looms with them from Thailand; we also had an American friend living in northern Thailand who bought four back strap looms and sent them to us. We then contacted a local carpenter at Westover Hills Church of Christ who replicated as many looms as we needed and gave them to the women who weave for HCHT. After a lot of searching, we found a company in Maine, Halcyon Yarn, who makes yarn that is similar in thread count to the traditional yarn the women use.

When I buy an HCHT product, where does the money go?

A small portion from the sale of each bag will be used to order yarn and other supplies to make more products; the rest of the proceeds will go directly to the women who make the products. Westover Hills Church of Christ supports us by buying the majority of our supplies. Our staff is made up entirely of volunteers, which means that the only people who are paid with any proceeds or donations that we receive are the refugee women who work as artisans and translators.

How do I care for my HCHT bag?

Since HCHT products are not pre-washed, we recommend spot cleaning as the best way to clean your bag. Minor imperfections are a part of the unique design of each bag and contribute to the overall character of the design.

What do you mean by supplemental income?

The refugee women who live in Austin are artisans eager to find ways to earn extra income for their families. Since most of the women stay home with their children while their husbands work, weaving and selling traditional bags enables them to contribute to their families’ financial stability. We also try to provide opportunities for the women who do not weave to earn extra income through sewing products or by working in other capacities.

What kind of marketable skills are you teaching the women?

HCHT partners with a variety of groups here in Austin to offer English language skills and basic educational opportunities to the artisans. The scope of this can change monthly or even weekly. Since many of these women are not exposed to English like they might be if they worked outside the home, our goal is to give them as much exposure to English and American culture as we can in an organic and informal way. We do this primarily through our relationships with the women. We also teach organized classes, such as ESL, basic life skills and sewing classes, and help them to learn the basic business skills associated with selling and marketing their products.

How can I get involved?

The best way to get involved is to buy a bag and tell a friend. The more products that we sell, the more money these women can earn, and word of mouth is the best way to market our products. If you live in Austin and are interested in learning more about how you can partner with this community, please contact us.

Westover Hills Church of Christ (www.westover.org)

Refugee Services of Texas (refugeeservicestexas.tripod.com)

Multicultural Refugee Coalition (www.mrcaustin.org)

Refugee Connect (www.refugeeconnect.com)

The Austin Stone Community Church (www.austinstone.org)

Hope in the City (www.hopeinthecity.org)