From Yunnan flax to tea shelf
This linen cloth set began with a sourcing trip to western Yunnan, where Michael Zhan visited a small weaving cooperative outside Dali. The cooperative grows flax on terraced plots and spins it using a blend of traditional wooden looms and modern finishing. Michael spent three days with the weavers, selecting a medium-weight linen that would hold a screenprint well while remaining breathable enough for long-term cake storage.
The prints were developed in collaboration with a Dali-based artist who specialises in mineral pigments. The iron-gall grey used for the mountain motifs is derived from locally sourced tannin and ferrous clay — a palette that echoes the aged wrappers of traditional pu’er cakes. Each square was hand-screened, then washed and pre-shrunk to give a soft, lived-in feel from the first use.
Michael oversaw the hemming and inspection back in Kunming, ensuring every seam was straight and the dye fast. The result is a set of six 35cm squares that work as functional cake-wraps and as small pieces of Yunnan’s textile craft — a quiet nod to the tea mountains they will spend their lives beside.