BHUTANESE HANDICRAFTS
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SHOP ONLINE
The business, according to many, was doing well with the trend for woven kiras suddenly making a come back.
Most of the customers are young office goers who do everything to remain trendy. Half kiras in classic patterns like moentha, mathra and even the simple
karchang are popular buys among the young lot. The price for these range between Nu.800 and Nu.1,200 a piece.
Cashing in on the trend, weavers earn an average income of about Nu.400 – Nu.5,000 a month, depending on the intricacy of designs, the quality of the
yarns and the finesse of the product.
Considered one of the 13 crafts of Bhutan, the entire weaving process takes between a week and a year, and it is not easy. Threads are dyed (using vegetable
dye) and dried for weeks and smoothened before being woven into fabric which itself is an intricate process. The finest weaves are inarguably from Lhuentse
and Trashigang in eastern Bhutan.
The overly indulgent, however, unflinchingly spent thousands on fabrics in pure silk. The silk choice are mostly among the elite and the tourists who find the
intricate patterns in colourful designs impressive.
The Handicrafts Emporium in Thimphu is one such outlet where tourists hoard to buy the beautiful textiles. The Emporium bought the textiles from the
Khaling Handloom Development Center which employed about 370 weavers and also from the wives of army and police personnel. Besides the kiras and
ghos, other items like tablecloths, bags, and stoles in pure and raw silk and terry-cotton are popular buys.
Of late, numerous ventures have tried to diversify and evolve the traditional weave. Phuonge Doan, an experienced tailor and a designer is one among the
few who started the Mawongpa group, which give young Bhutanese tailoring and designing course in western and traditional outfits. The outfits are sold
priced between Nu. 1,000 and Nu. 22,000. “There is a huge scope for Bhutanese textiles, be it in the western designs or traditional,” says Phuonge Doan.
Most of the customers are young office goers who do everything to remain trendy. Half kiras in classic patterns like moentha, mathra and even the simple
karchang are popular buys among the young lot. The price for these range between Nu.800 and Nu.1,200 a piece.
Cashing in on the trend, weavers earn an average income of about Nu.400 – Nu.5,000 a month, depending on the intricacy of designs, the quality of the
yarns and the finesse of the product.
Considered one of the 13 crafts of Bhutan, the entire weaving process takes between a week and a year, and it is not easy. Threads are dyed (using vegetable
dye) and dried for weeks and smoothened before being woven into fabric which itself is an intricate process. The finest weaves are inarguably from Lhuentse
and Trashigang in eastern Bhutan.
The overly indulgent, however, unflinchingly spent thousands on fabrics in pure silk. The silk choice are mostly among the elite and the tourists who find the
intricate patterns in colourful designs impressive.
The Handicrafts Emporium in Thimphu is one such outlet where tourists hoard to buy the beautiful textiles. The Emporium bought the textiles from the
Khaling Handloom Development Center which employed about 370 weavers and also from the wives of army and police personnel. Besides the kiras and
ghos, other items like tablecloths, bags, and stoles in pure and raw silk and terry-cotton are popular buys.
Of late, numerous ventures have tried to diversify and evolve the traditional weave. Phuonge Doan, an experienced tailor and a designer is one among the
few who started the Mawongpa group, which give young Bhutanese tailoring and designing course in western and traditional outfits. The outfits are sold
priced between Nu. 1,000 and Nu. 22,000. “There is a huge scope for Bhutanese textiles, be it in the western designs or traditional,” says Phuonge Doan.
Traditional handloom
WEAVING
In a country which is often known as the ‘land of weaving and textiles’, it is common to see rural women, especially
in eastern Bhutan, weaving different fabrics during the lean farming season. The woven is not only for self-usage but
also to supplement household income.
Over the years, the latter has transformed as a sole reason for more and more women, mostly housewives, in urban
towns to take up weaving.
The weaving culture is gaining ground with more and more rural women, with fine weaving skills, moving into towns
in search of better livelihood. These women either work for individuals at a minimum wage, weave and sell through
friends or work full time in numerous weaving centres in town.
In a country which is often known as the ‘land of weaving and textiles’, it is common to see rural women, especially
in eastern Bhutan, weaving different fabrics during the lean farming season. The woven is not only for self-usage but
also to supplement household income.
Over the years, the latter has transformed as a sole reason for more and more women, mostly housewives, in urban
towns to take up weaving.
The weaving culture is gaining ground with more and more rural women, with fine weaving skills, moving into towns
in search of better livelihood. These women either work for individuals at a minimum wage, weave and sell through
friends or work full time in numerous weaving centres in town.
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Meditation Books on Bhutan Lonely Planet Local Writers Local songs
Pen pal Hotels in Bhutan Local Film Industry Business in Bhutan Manufacturing Industries
Tallest Statue of Buddha Nepal Tour Tibet Tour India Tour Bhutanese cuisines
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