Woman revitalizes traditional tie-dye craft in SW China's Yunnan

Huang Lin works on a tie-dyed piece at her workshop in Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

In Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, a tie-dye workshop founded by Huang Lin, a woman from southwest China's Sichuan Province, has given new life to tie-dye, a traditional Chinese folk dyeing craft.

Drawn by her passion for the craft, Huang settled in Nakeli in 2013 and set up her workshop. She collects leaves and other parts of specific local plants to make natural dyes, then uses traditional techniques — tying, stitching, knotting and clamping — to create fabrics featuring blue-and-white gradients. The workshop is filled with scarves, bags, accessories and other tie-dyed creations, many of which have found their way to markets in Singapore, Malaysia and beyond. Visitors are also welcome to try their hand at the craft through hands-on sessions at the workshop.

Over more than a decade, Huang has trained over 100 villagers in tie-dyeing techniques and commissioned local embroiderers to help process her products, providing them with additional income during the agricultural off-season.

Today, she is incorporating elements of Pu'er tea and coffee into her creative work, developing cultural products such as tea mats and tea set bags in hopes of drawing younger generations closer to this time-honored craft.

Huang Lin works on a tie-dyed piece at her workshop in Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Huang Lin dries a tie-dyed piece at her workshop in Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Huang Lin dries a tie-dyed piece at her workshop in Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Photo shows tie-dyed pieces at Huang Lin's workshop in Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Huang Lin makes tie-dyed products at her workshop in Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Photo shows tie-dyed products at Huang Lin's workshop in Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Photo shows tie-dyed products at Huang Lin's workshop in Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Photo shows tie-dyed products at Huang Lin's workshop in Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Photo shows tie-dyed products at Huang Lin's workshop in Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Photo shows tie-dyed products at Huang Lin's workshop in Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Photo shows tie-dyed products at Huang Lin's workshop in Nakeli village, Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)