Podcast Ep. 1 | On building a Zero-Waste, Small-Batch Textile Studio in Thailand & Laos
In our episode #1 we talk to Rachna Sachasinh from Tikkiwallah on building a brand from Farm to Loom to Market in Thailand & Laos
Big news! We've taken our exploration of craft, culture, and commerce into a new medium.
Custodians of Crafts, our podcast extension of Subject Matter, is now available on Youtube and Spotify.
In our inaugural episode, we speak with Rachna Sachasinh, founder of Tikkiwallah, a modern artisan textile studio working with traditional fiber artisans in Thailand and Laos.
Our conversation examines the intersection of heritage practices and contemporary markets, exploring how Tikkiwallah creates zero-waste textiles that honor the rhythms of rural Mekong River valley communities while adapting craft traditions for modern contexts. We also explore the meaning of design thinking as it applies to crafts and a broader conversation on the artisanal foundation of luxury’s future.
(All images of Tikkiwallah, Luang Prabang and studio by: Aaron Joel Santos)
As a third-generation Thai-Indian with three decades of experience in the artisan sector, Rachna offers unique insights on sustainable fiber ecosystems, the cultural significance of traditional textile practices, and the delicate balance of preservation and innovation. Her perspective as both a craft entrepreneur and cultural journalist (featured in National Geographic Travel, Condé Nast Traveller, and other publications) provides a nuanced entry point into this exploration which is the core of Subject Matter.
For those who value our newsletter's approach to unpacking complex cultural-commercial relationships, the podcast provides another dimension to these discussions, the one where voice adds texture to the insights we've been developing together. Not to mention the beautiful shots of locations where these crafts emerge from, the communities who make them and graphs to make sense of it all.
I invite you to subscribe and engage with this new format. Your continued support allows me to deepen our documentation of these essential yet underrepresented creative economies.
Until next week,
Rini
Listen on Spotify below:
Watch on Youtube below: