Kai, Kim, Natna, Carly, and Pete
Thailand is an incredible country full of tuk tuks, stunning white sand beaches, ancient temples, and other cultural delicacies, all simmered in coconut milk and fresh spices. Thailand relies heavily on tourism to provide opportunities for its people and has become the most celebrated vacation nation in Southeast Asia for the last forty years. Myanmar, formerly Burma, is an equally amazing country that is far less developed and far less touristic, as it only fully opened its borders to international travel and trade in the 21st century. Both countries share a strong sense of culture that is rooted in Dharma, karma, and religion, tied into the teachings of the Buddha.
Kai & Natna are two lovely buddhist women who made their way to Thailand from Myanmar via the "Friendship Bridge" that connects the two countries in search of opportunity. They ended up in Bangkok, one of the busiest cities in the world, and it is there that they found their talents in the textile business. They worked hard to get to the place that they are today, and their wonderful senses of style have culminated in their unique sense of design that brings elegance and eccentricity to the fashion industry.
Carly and Kim, our own dynamic duo, love working, laughing and sharing ideas with Kai and Natna. Most of the time they are together they are all sitting on the floor throwing ideas and samples around to see what sticks. "Kai and Natna are no-nonsense, and will tell us if our designs are bad, then we will giggle it all away and start from scratch." - Kim Erskine
We love supporting all types of businesses all over the world, but we are especially proud to be able to support Kai & Natna's female owned business.
Their balance of servicing both their wholesale and retail customers in their small Bangkok shop is a testament to what hard workers they are, and the fruit of their labor flows back across the Friendship Bridge to Myanmar as they both support their families and their Buddhist temples back home. Like most wholesalers in Bangkok, they have clients from all around the world. Over the years they have grown to know our styles and customers, and always have awesome things in mind to show us that are aligned with the Mexicali vibe. We look forward to many more giggles and many more designs in the coming years!
Check out Kai and Natna's creations here
