WATER HYACINTH
A collaborative project to eradicate Thailand's waterways of the highly invasive water hyacinth,
while providing jobs to artisans. Water hyacinth is used for making textiles, paper and it ferments
rapidly due to its high water content and can supply biomass for biogas production.
WHAT IS WATER HYACINTH?
Eichhornia crassipes, commonly known as common water hyacinth, is an aquatic plant native to the Amazon basin. One of the fastest growing plants, through mankind it has made its way around the world to become a nasty, invasive species on our planet.
We are excited to work on a collaboration with Mon Panama and a sustainability project to eradicate Thailand's waterways of the highly invasive water hyacinth, while providing jobs to artisans.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Water hyacinths can double populations in two weeks. When not controlled, water hyacinth will cover lakes and ponds entirely. This dramatically affects water flow and blocks sunlight from reaching native aquatic plants which often die.
The decay processes depletes dissolved oxygen in the water creating an acidic environment, often killing fish and other species. Water hyacinth produces thousands of seeds each year, which can remain viable for up to 30 years.
Water hyacinth was first introduced into the United States during the 1884 Cotton States Exposition in New Orleans. The plants were given as gifts to attendees, who later took them home to add to backyard ponds. By 1900, water hyacinths had escaped cultivation and become a serious pest. Today, water hyacinth occurs throughout the southeastern states, north to Virginia and west to Texas, and in California and Hawaii. Water hyacinth is able to grow in a wide variety of water bodies from lakes, streams, ponds, waterways, ditches, and backwater areas, although it prefers, and grows most prolifically, in nutrient-enriched waters.
Water hyacinth is used for making textiles, paper and for camouflaging fish traps. It ferments rapidly due to its high water content and can supply biomass for biogas production.
SLOW FASHION MOVEMENT
We are firm believers in the slow fashion movement. From design to creation we believe in taking the extra time to use environmentally safe processes to produce luxury and sustainable products.