In 1995, under a UNESCO commission, Mr. Morimoto surveyed the state of traditional Cambodian silk weaving and discovered that decades of civil war had nearly erased many skills and patterns. Skilled weavers had passed away, the remaining ones were aging, and raw silk and natural dyes were no longer easily available.

To preserve this heritage, it was crucial to document traditional techniques, ikat patterns, tools, and textiles, and pass them on to the next generation. To support the revival and revitalization of Cambodia’s traditional silk weaving, IKTT (Institute of Khmer Traditional Textiles) was founded by Kikuo Morimoto in January 1996.