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Weo, an inmate at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution in Bangkok, prefers to sew by hand. He tried the sewing machine, but found that his mind was calmer when sewing the thread with his fingers directly. By not using machines, he can produce unique patterns that are difficult to find in conventional stores.
She explained this to a group of design students who, sketchbooks in hand, walked through the rows, observing the women sewing.
As time went by, some people lost their initial fear and sat in front of them, taking cloth samples. Others ask about the products they make. Some borrowed needles and, with the guidance of the women, tried their hand at sewing themselves. Several people sat on the floor in the corner weaving baskets with the women who had now mastered the skill.
Today, students leave the classroom to spend their mornings at Thailand’s first women’s prison, where some 150 women learn weaving, knitting and machine sewing to make marketable products.
The students’ assignment was to design products that the women could produce while serving their sentences.
Thai university students arrive at Bangkok Women’s Prison in the Thai capital.
Through the wall
The initiative was launched in November 2025 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Thai Institute of Justice (TIJ) pair design students with incarcerated women to create modern, sustainable products that can be sold outside prison.
Earlier this year, 22 students visited the prison and interacted with women who are now producing the new product. Their designs had to appeal to modern consumers, be practical and tell a rehabilitation-related story that would raise awareness of the important role vocational training plays in reducing recidivism.
“The stigma surrounding those who make mistakes has long been a wall in our society. To help them overcome these obstacles, we must restore their human dignity,” said TIJ’s Chontit Chuenurah.
“By weaving their stories into these products, we use young people’s creativity to build bridges between prisons and the outside world, replacing fear with understanding.”
Under theme Through the WallThe initiative seeks to remove physical and social barriers, helping incarcerated women successfully return to society, she added.
“This project aims to create prison-made goods that appeal to modern consumers while equipping correctional officers with important marketing skills,” said Aki Okanan, a former prison reform expert at UNODC.
The project also raises international awareness of the role of rehabilitation and vocational training in reducing reoffending, he added.
Time well spent
A panel of judges evaluated nine projects from 19 students in a competition earlier this year.
The winner is Time-Made, which features an intricately embellished band.
For the students behind the design, time has two meanings: the sentence that inmates can reduce by working in prison, and the time that people outside prison value, a privilege that is sometimes taken for granted.
“We want our product to remind people that we can use our time carefully and meaningfully. That we can take care of our time,” said Game, 21, one of the competition’s winners.
Incarcerated women learn sewing skills at Bangkok Women’s Prison.
First step
All designs receive support for product development and marketing, and the winning product, along with other selected products, will be produced in collaboration with partner correctional institutions.
Natty, also 21, has been studying lifestyle products for three years. He expected the prison to look gloomy and scary and was surprised to find the study bright and airy. However, he noticed that most of the prisoners wore dark colors.
“I want to take advantage of the skills they have and show them brighter ingredients and see what happens,” he said.
Sitting next to Weo, Ana*, from Latin America, tells the story of how she was caught trying to smuggle cocaine into Bangkok. After four years in prison, he can make perfect stuffed animals and speaks fluent Thai, even though he has never seen Thailand outside prison.
“I heard it’s beautiful here, but it doesn’t matter. After this, when I make it back to Brazil, I’m going to start a business importing and selling stuffed animals from Thailand. I know how to do it. I have connections, and I can speak the language.”
As the students passed through the gates and security controls to exit, their enthusiasm waned. Even though prisoners cannot leave, this collaboration connects them to the outside world, which is the first step in reintegration.
