Our Story Impact The Weavers Products The Gallery Get in touch

Lafaina · Journey of Mama

Woven with the hearts of Mama,
the weavers of East Nusa Tenggara.

Ethically crafted contemporary goods & apparel made from handwoven ikat — preserving culture, empowering villages, sustaining lives.

Read our story See the ikat
A Mama weaving red ikat on a traditional loom

Our Story

It started with a single journey to the East.

In 2009, a trip to our hometown in East Nusa Tenggara revealed the cracks beneath its beauty — poverty, malnutrition, minimum education. Coming from an agricultural background, we felt we had to do something. So every year we returned: running organic farming trainings and programs to empower Mama, the weavers.

Lafaina embodies the story of East Nusa Tenggara — a storytelling & narrative-heavy brand preserving culture, empowering villages, and practicing sustainability through ethically made handwoven textiles and goods, sourced from the hands of Mama, or Ina, the weavers.

Lafa & Ina → “Selimut Mama”

Mother’s blanket — symbolizing warmth and protection.
A smiling weaver of East Nusa Tenggara
Passed down from mothers to daughters — behind every pattern lies hopes, prayers, and stories of their own.
The Lafaina community of weavers gathered in their village

The Film

Watch the journey unfold.

Travel to East Nusa Tenggara and meet the Mamas behind every thread.

Click to play

What we stand for

Archiving moments, exchanging the meaning of life.

Our Impact

The sustainability we believe in is the one that can change lives.

0villages empowered
0weavers benefited from Lafaina
0years of community development
0farmers impacted through Yayasan Tani Tenun

Along with scholarships, assistance to schools in rural areas, and stunting eradication programs.

The Weavers

“The Journey of Mama”

Serving the experience of East Nusa Tenggara through the lens of Mama, the weaver — from her upbringing and her village, to how she was introduced to tenun as a child, learned the technique, and eventually journeyed to the city.

Portrait of a Mama weaver
Portrait of a Mama weaver
Portrait of a Mama weaver
Portrait of a Mama weaver
Portrait of a Mama weaver
Preparing turmeric for natural dye
“We can still smell the aroma of plants from the threads — proof of the authenticity of a naturally dyed handwoven ikat.”
“From a piece of traditional woven cloth, we can trace a mother’s struggles to take care of her family — her journey of life.”

Turmeric, roots & leaves — our colors come from nature.

Lafaina Ikat Products

“From the hands of Mama”

Ethically crafted contemporary goods & apparel made from handwoven ikat, weaved by the hands of Mama. Full catalogue coming soon.

Ikat cushion set in sand and cream
Ikat Cushions — Sand & Fringe
Ikat cushions in indigo blue
Ikat Cushions — Indigo Sea
Ikat cushion in cream with woven fringe
Ikat Cushion — Cream Weave
Ikat cushion with pale blue centre band
Ikat Cushion — Morning Sky
Handwoven grey ikat shawl with fringe
Shawls & Scarves
A stack of folded handwoven ikat cloths
Handwoven Ikat Cloths

Patterns of East Nusa Tenggara

Behind every pattern of our handwoven ikat lies the daily lives of its people — with a very strong emotional bond.

Ikat pattern detailIkat pattern detailIkat pattern detailIkat pattern detailIkat pattern detailIkat pattern detailIkat pattern detailIkat pattern detailIkat pattern detail
The Lafaina Ikat booth at an international trade fair
Lafaina at an international trade fair — bringing NTT to the world.

Our Partners

Going further, together.

  • Lewi’s Organics
  • Casa de Rote
  • Yayasan Tani Tenun
  • Rotary Club of Kupang Central

Export experience to Germany (organic produce) since 2011.