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THE TEXTILES OF LAOS
The production of woven and embroidered textiles is undoubtedly the most prolific of all traditional crafts in Laos.
Produced in many different styles and dyed in a range of different colours according to the geographical provenance and ethnicity of the weavers, silk and cotton cloth is hand-woven on traditional wooden frame looms by the ethnic Lao and most other Tai-speaking ethnicities to create the ubiquitous wrap-round skirts with eleborately bordered hems (pha sin), ceremonial shawls (pha biang), shoulder bags and many other articles of Lao traditional clothing.
All regions of the country are suitable for the farming of cotton and mulberry trees, which are often planted on co-operative land with a view to providing raw materials for the wider community. Traditional weaving techniques handed down from one generation to the next include chok (discontinuous supplementary weft technique), khit (continuous supplementary weft technique), mat mi (resist-dyeing technique), ghot (tapestry weave technique), muk (continuous supplementary warp technique) and muko (a combination of the muk, mat mi and chok techniques).
Various regional styles may be identified, ranging from the solid colour and striped pattern mix of northern chok and supplementary thread silk textiles to the Khmer-style pha chongkraben of the southern provinces. Motifs used also vary from region to region, but the use of gold and silver threads and protective diamond- and star-shaped designs and images of mythical animals such as dragons and nagas are common to many parts of the country. In recent years the migration of many provincial weaving families to Vientiane to seek employment there has led to the evolution of a new, modern style of Lao textile which includes both regional and international designs.
Sadly textile weaving and dyeing has largely died out amongst the Mon-Khmer ethnicities of Laos, but Hmong, Yao and Sino-Tibetan ethnicities such as the Lolo-Burmish speaking Akha, Ha Nhi, Lolo and Phunoi continue to weave and dye their own clothes. However, the latter are perhaps best known for their sewing and embroidering skills, which have given rise to some of the most spectacular and colourful traditional costumes in the world.
In recent years the Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts, assisted by the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) and the Lao Handicraft Association, has made strenuous efforts to revitalise traditional weaving as a sustainable enterprise through the development of incentive and protection schemes, training, promotion and marketing. The Lao Women's Union's Lao Cotton State Enterprise (LCSE) and non-governmental initiatives such as Lao Textiles by Carol Cassidy have also made a significant contribution to the revival of this important craft sector.
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