Five Tribes Fair Trade Thailand is a social enterprise under the Joy to the World Foundation Thailand. Its mission is to create economic empowerment for women in Thailand’s tribal villages. Many of these women face poverty and are vulnerable to human trafficking.
Five Tribes provides training, tools, and support so they can use their weaving and embroidery skills to build sustainable livelihoods for their families and communities.
Each piece is handcrafted by artisans from Thailand’s indigenous Hmong, Karen, Akha, Lahu, and Lisu tribes. Their textiles carry unique cultural legacies — geometric Hmong embroidery, soft Karen cotton, Akha and Lahu patterns, and the bright colors of Lisu design.
These are not trends. They are living archives of identity, faith, and memory.
Five Tribes doesn’t mass-produce. The Five Tribes model is small-batch and community-first. Artisans are paid upfront and encouraged to set their own prices. Every piece includes a tag that tells you which tribe and artisan community it came from.
Workshops in rural villages help preserve fading techniques. Apprenticeships pass on ancestral knowledge so younger generations can take pride in their craft and heritage.
Artisan Snapshot: Five Tribes Fair Trade
| Artisan | Five Tribes Fair Trade |
| Craft | Embroidery, weaving, traditional textile crafts |
| Communities | Hmong, Karen, Akha, Lahu, Lisu |
| Based in | Thailand |
| Materials | Cotton, hemp, plant dyes, silver, hand-spun thread |
| Social Media | Instagram · Facebook |
| Website | fivetribesthailand.com |
| Mission | Preserving indigenous textile arts and providing fair-trade income to artisans |
Why It Matters
Supporting Five Tribes means:
- Keeping endangered textile arts alive
- Sustaining rural economies without displacement
- Celebrating diversity and cultural identity
- Providing women artisans with financial independence and recognition
See the Threads in Person
Explore Five Tribes Fair Trade products at Mosaic Market in Chiang Mai or browse the virtual village at fivetribesthailand.com.
Every stitch supports a grandmother’s hands. Every pattern opens the doorway to a living heritage.
