What began as a couple's backpacking adventure with their young sons in southeastern Asia transformed into a thriving fair trade business and a renewed sense of well-being. Silk Weavers of Hill Tribe Laos takes the reader on a rare adventure into this little-traveled part of the world, offering an intimate visit in the homes of these warm and friendly people and little-recorded details of how they practice their craft.Part travelogue, part silk-weaving primer, this is a tender portrait of an American family's travels in Laos's Houaphon Province. As they learn about the ancient silk weaving traditions in the hilltribe community of Xam Tai, so too they gain an appreciation for the strong sense of well-being in Lao culture. Over the past decade, Hirschstein and Beck have developed deep connections with the villagers of Xam Tai who produce the finest, most intricate, most traditional silks in the world. The weavers raise their own fiber from silkworms, dye it using local natural dyes, and weave the patterns of their ancestors into healing cloths, ceremonial textiles, and daily wear. Beck and Hirschstein provide an in-depth and rare view into the everyday lives, culture, and craft of Lao silk weavers.