Weaving a unique rhythm

Liu Chengming says he could sense a weaver's emotions simply by feeling the cloth. "When she is at peace, the fabric is even and smooth; if her mind is troubled, tiny lumps may appear where the weave falters." As the director of the Shanghai-based sustainable brand Naze Naze, Liu, 32, has traveled between Shanghai and a small county in Southwest China's Yunnan province several times a year for the past five years.

Deep in a valley carved out by the Derung River near the China-Myanmar border resides one of China's smallest ethnic groups — the Derung people, whose population is estimated to be around 8,000. Within their small numbers, they have preserved a rich weaving tradition. The same cloth they wrap around themselves by day becomes their blanket at night. The fabric's vibrant color combinations have earned the Derung people the nickname "the people draped in rainbows".

Liu serves as a liaison, guiding local weavers to create fabrics that brand designers later craft into pouches, handbags and blankets, perfect for people seeking warmth in air-conditioned rooms.

"The design is minimal — why add more when the colors are already so captivating?" says Liu. "We want customers to focus on the rich hues and feel the softness — and the slight lumps — that come from the looser weave of handwoven fabrics. Besides, knowing the effort that goes into it, you wouldn't want to cut the fabric too much for the sake of design."

The colors flow in stripes of varying widths, creating a visual musicality that evokes the rhythm of local life, in Liu's mind. "For us, the key to working with local weavers is to move with that rhythm, not against it," he says.

In practice, this means coordinating production around the cycles of local agricultural activities, which are largely dictated by nature. Fortunately for Liu and his team, nearly 200 of the 365 days in a year are rainy, providing ample time for weaving.

"The Derung people have deep family traditions and we honor that," says Liu, adding that the brand has never tried to move the weavers to Shanghai. "A mother may become a grandmother and help care for the baby for a while, and that's perfectly fine. A weaver can come and go as she pleases — there's no constraint. All we ask is that they pour their heart and soul into their craft, to weave with passion."