Bhutanese Weaving

Weaving is Bhutan's most developed art form and a living one: nearly every household once produced cloth, and women still work backstrap and pedal looms to make the kira and gho that Bhutanese wear daily by law and custom. Patterns carry meaning - the kushuthara brocades of Lhuentse in the east are the most prized, taking months of work and passing between generations as wealth. Thimphu's Textile Museum lays out the regional styles and royal collections, and craft centres let visitors watch weavers at work and buy directly, which is the honest way to support a craft that competes with cheap imports.

What you actually see

• The National Textile Museum - regional styles, royal garments and technique.
• Backstrap looms in workshops - weavers at work in Thimphu and eastern villages.
• Kushuthara brocade - the intricate Lhuentse cloth prized above all others.
• The national dress - gho and kira worn daily, with kabney scarves marking rank.

When to go

Museums and workshops run year round. Festivals are the best time to see the finest textiles worn rather than displayed, since families bring out their best pieces for tshechus in spring and autumn. Eastern village visits work best in the drier months.

Honest expectations

Genuine handwoven kushuthara is expensive - months of labour go into a single length, and prices reflect that; cheap lookalikes are machine-made or imported. Buying at the source or at recognised craft centres puts money where it belongs. Photographing weavers should always be asked first. Reaching the eastern weaving villages needs long drives on mountain roads and time most itineraries do not include.

Nearby

Thimphu's weekend market and craft school, and the eastern route toward Lhuentse.