A Hmong Lai woman twisting lengths of hemp bark together to form one long yarn, Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The yarn is wrapped around the hand in a figure of 8 creating a ball shape. Making hemp fabric is a long and laborious process; the end result is a strong durable cloth with qualities similar to linen which the Hmong women use to make their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along the Nam Ou and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
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