Impact and Adoption¶
The next steps for the Gawa Weaver project involve establishing connections with after-school programs in Bhutan that focus on heritage and traditional crafts. By partnering with these programs, we aim to introduce the Gawa Weaver cardboard loom, providing primary school children with an engaging platform to explore the art of weaving while incorporating simple electronics to create woven friendship bracelets adorned with embedded LEDs. Through iterative testing and development in collaboration with these heritage-focused after-school programs, we seek to refine and optimize the program's curriculum and materials.
Once we have successfully honed the Gawa Weaver program, we plan to expand its reach by connecting with public schools across Bhutan. By offering the program as an after-school activity in public schools, we aspire to make the weaving experience accessible to a broader range of students, nurturing a deeper appreciation for Bhutanese heritage and traditional crafts among the younger generation. Our ultimate vision is to ignite a passion for weaving, spark creativity, and celebrate cultural heritage as young minds embark on an enriching journey through the art of Gawa Weaver.
“...cultural heritage can be viewed as a necessary resource to fuel the development of cultural industries. Significantly, when seen through this paradigm, cultural heritage conservation is no longer attributed as a ‘cost’ but a self-funding asset.”
“The government document––Bhutan 2020: A Vision for Peace, Prosperity and Happiness–outlines the importance of culture in the context of Bhutan’s development agenda.”
“In Bhutan, the hand-woven textile sector is one of the strongest pillars of this industry. In 2011, weavers in Bhutan generated an estimated income of Nu. 149.88 million (approximately US$2.2m) from selling traditional products, mostly traded from weavers’ homes.”
- Joseph Lo, DrukJournal.bt
Distribution¶
We want to acknowledge the distribution and adoption plan is just as vital as the weaving kit for this project to be a viable solution:
Phase one:¶
Bhutan’s FabLabs will be the manufacturing hub of the kits for distribution to community partners such as schools, organizations, and community centers. There will be a central contact point for support with anyone with questions on how to replicate the kit. At the end of this challenge we will have a platform to easily access all the digital content for the weaving kit. Completed version one of the kits will be distributed to the following for feedback from their community: Royal Textile Academy Green Weavers Organization Each FabLab in Bhutan
A Framework to Continuously Build Upon
Phase two:¶
Our team will continue to work on the iterations of the kit and incorporate the needs of each community. There will be expansions of educational content into circuitry, materials innovation, and dyes. Our community partners will share their versions of the kit on the platform.
Phase three:¶
The FabLabs will produce the next version of the weaving kit for their community for distribution to the community partners who will reach the children, families, and schools. Have a feedback and iteration cycle established.
Phase four:¶
Work with the community partners for the next level of weaving with an accessible card loom kit.
This spiral of development will continue to evolve until the stakeholders involved signal change.
How to Use the Kit¶
Please find the files and instructional content here. All materials are open source under Creative Commons license 4.0.
coming soon
Costs Considerations¶
The kit was designed to be low cost/no cost with commonly sourced local materials. The material cost to construct this version of the kit is around:
Material Purpose Possible Substitution*** Estimated Cost for 1 Kit Cardboard Loom Used box 30 Nu Yarn Weaving Used yarn 30 Nu LEDs Circuit
5 Nu Conductive Material Circuit Used foil 5 Nu Coin Battery Circuit
80 Nu Plywood/ MGA Board Shuttle Cardboard 5 Nu Cloth strips Shoulder strap Upcycle used material 0 Nu
Total
155 Nu **
This estimate is based on materials we bought to fabricate 30 kits. * Substitution of materials can greatly lower the cost of each kit.