Cambodia historically had many indigenous crafts, including silk weaving. Indeed Cambodian silk is considered to be one of the finest quality silks. Sadly, during the Pol Pot regime, in the 1970s through to the 1990s, many of these traditional skills were lost.
Tabitha Cambodia operates a cottage industry programme and trains embroiderers, seamstresses, weavers, and silversmiths, amongst others. In the current fiscal year 289 families (with 2,312 dependants) were involved in Tabitha's cottage industry work, with US$642,011 in sales.
The development of the cottage industry is important for a number of reasons. Many of the seamstresses previously worked on the streets, having no regular income or security for their families. The cottage industry provides them with both a sustainable skill and a regular source of income. Whilst many of the cottage industry workers come to the Tabitha headquarters to work, many of the women also work from home, allowing them to be at home with their children while still earning income.
The cottage industry products are made to a high quality and are sold locally in Cambodia and also through Tabitha volunteer networks across the world. Tabitha Singapore imports a variety of cottage industry silk products ranging from scarves and handbags, to soft furnishings for the home such as cushions and bedding. These products can also be specially ordered to meet your particular size and colour needs and an interior designer is available for consultation at home should you require assistance in making your purchase.
Tabitha Singapore is the largest importer of Tabitha silk and other handmade products outside of Cambodia. These are sold at a number of events throughout the year, including community fairs, home sales, and school fairs or directly from our stockroom at the Singapore American School. If you are interested in learning more about how to host a home sale, please direct your inquiry to [email protected].
All sales events are manned by unpaid volunteers. Costs are incurred in bringing stock into Singapore and a small amount of marketing costs to promote certain events. All remaining funds are remitted to Tabitha Cambodia.
All sales events are listed in Upcoming Events. If you are interested in volunteering for any sales events please visit our volunteers section. For more information, please email us at [email protected].
