In Sapa, Hmong women are responsible for making new clothes each year. The entire hemp process, from sowing the seeds through to weaving the cloth takes many months and culminates in intricate embroidery with patterns and symbols which tell the story of the wearer. The baste fibre is obtained from the stalk of the male hemp plant. Stalks are tied into bundles and sun dried before women strip off the fibrous outer layer. These short pieces of fibre are joined to make a continuous length for weavi