Issara “Idd” Choopakdee

Founder, Korkok

Industry : Business

Born in Chantaburi, famous for its reed mats, Issara, or Idd, saw his mother weaving reed since he was a child. But when he realised that the younger generation showed little interest in carrying on the tradition, he decided to step in. A communications graduate, he had been a radio show host for a decade, before embarking on a journey to revive reed mats for the modern market. He learned the basics, from cutting the reeds, drying, dyeing, and weaving, each of which are normally handled by different people. Realising how it was such a labour-intensive process that earned very little money, he decided to add value in terms of design and colour trends, and created Kokkok as a brand of reed mat bags that could compete not only in Thailand, but also in international markets. The latest Korkok collection, named “Chan Krachang” is a series of drawstring bags woven with a mixture of reed and jute in trendy coloured stripes. His brand now provides a source of stable income for local weavers, helping to preserve a centuries old tradition.