CO’TU,RE
In 2012, Ava and Nele’s collaboration with COTU weavers in Vietnam’s Central Highlands inspired them to launch CO’TU,RE in 2014. This fair-trade collection marries contemporary design with COTU’s intricate backstrap weaving technique, resulting in exclusive high-end designs.
CO’TU,RE focuses on hand woven techniques from Co Tu weavers, pairing them with premium textiles to create exceptional, zero-waste pieces. These fabrics are then skillfully tailored in Hoi An.
Ava and Nele also played a pivotal role in forming the CoTu YaYa business group, providing training and design expertise. Today, the CoTu YaYa group produces fine hand-woven textiles for clients worldwide, including AVANA Vietnam.
Despite living and working continents away from each other, Nele & Ava have had a long-term working and personal relationship.
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Nele De Block, a Belgian designer who studied Textile Design at ENSAV La Cambre, Brussels. She developed her passion and technical skills for weaving as a textile designer in the automotive industry. She then met Ava and became the Art Director for BETET SKARA. In this program, Nele helped in leading the designs and guided the refugee weavers in the process that brought about the collaboration with some of the world-renowned fashion designers in the globe.
Nele then moved to Portugal in search of new design influences. And in 2010, SENNES, her brand that combines sustainable wool from Portugal with high-quality linen from Belgium , was born.