Lao silk brocade weaving

Raise heddles and choose supplementary-weft colours across a pattern grid to weave a skirt border with geometric motifs.

Heritage note

Part of the living heritage of Laos. Some forms of this practice carry deep meaning for the communities who keep it; here we describe the play and the craft only, with respect for its roots.

Origins

A living tradition passed from person to person; it is not tied to a single dated origin. It belongs to the cultural world of Southeast Asia and the Islands.