Daniel Flickinger is the owner of a furniture store in Seattle, Washington. He first visited Takeo Province, Cambodia in 2008. There, he was struck by the high number of skilled artisans in the area and saddened by the poverty that surrounded them. With weaving as a way of life, and every home housing at least one wooden hand loom, Dan saw an opportunity to utilise the skills of the people to generate a source of income for them. It was then that he set out to celebrate the culture of weaving and foster the craft. His inaugural visit was the inspiration for a Push Pull Cambodia Weaving Center (started one year later), which today, creates all of the Basik 855 products.

 

The goal of Push Pull Cambodia Weaving Center and Basik 855 is to stimulate a renaissance of Cambodian ikat so that the people of Takeo can make a better living—one rooted in their own customs. 

 

Working with a Khmer Master Designer, Basik 855 develops new patterns that are modern, bold and globally resonant. They employ 46 Khmer artisans who specialise in different phases of ikat. 

 

Beyond a living wage, Basik 855 believes in offering a competitive benefits package that includes medical reimbursements, annual eye care exams, public holidays, paid time off, and maternity leave.

 

When work is outsourced, Basik 855 engage with with sewing enterprises that employ people from vulnerable backgrounds to develop their skills. 

 

Find out more about their wares here, or check out their Facebook page.