Heart of the brand: Making garments that respect the people and the land of Northern Vietnam. In the same way that Tamay has always made her clothes.
Stand out ethical practices: Supporting traditional craft + Small-scale production
Brand founders: Hannah Cowie and Tamay
Established: 2008
Location: Bristol, UK
Tamay and Me was created to celebrate and maintain the textile heritage of the Mien people, a minority group in Southeast Asia. The garments are made following the traditional designs to celebrate the New Year.
The project grew out of a friendship between Hannah Cowie and Tamay after they met in 2008 in a market in rural Vietnam. Admiring the embroidery on the locals’ traditional jackets Hannah asked Tamay about them. After chatting for a bit Tamay said ‘come back tomorrow at 9am and I’ll show you how to do it.’ Accepting the invitation, Hannah returned to learn how to wrap the silk around her toes to embroider in the traditional method.
Wanting to support her friends, the label Tamay and Me was born, with the majority of proceeds going directly to the artisans. The jackets are made with the traditional panelled design, a necessity due to the narrow looms the fabric is woven on and with the added benefit of reducing textile waste. The little fabric left over from the arm sections is twizzled to form the distinctive knotted buttons.
Learn more about the Tamay and Me story here.
