Made in galle: sri lanka

During my trip to Sri Lanka, I visited Sooriya Weaving Mills just outside Galle. I had wanted to visit for a long time, so seeing the mill and its process in person was really special.

Sooriya was started in 1976 by the owner’s parents, and he grew up there. Many of the women working at the mill today have known him since he was a baby. Almost 50 years later, there is still a strong sense of family and community within the mill, with some women having worked there for decades.

The mill provides employment for more than 40 local women, offering flexible work close to home while creating opportunities to continue the traditional skills of hand weaving.

I was able to see the process from start to finish. Cotton yarn is prepared and dyed in large vats using traditional and natural dyes, including materials such as jackfruit and mahogany. The yarn is then washed and hung outside to dry naturally in the sun and air before being wound and prepared for the looms.

The warp threads are arranged and threaded through the wooden handlooms, sometimes using hundreds of individual threads. The weavers use their hands and feet to move the shuttle and pedals, slowly building the fabric row by row.

There is so much time, skill and care in every metre of fabric!

I left with a much deeper appreciation for the people and process behind the textiles.