Authentic Silks of Isan

Scarves

Weaving techniques – ikat, plain weave, float weave, supplementary weft. Length variable from 140 to 160 cm. Width about 20 to 40 cm. Our scarves echo some of the now forgotten meanings of these weavings. Traditionally, scarves were important items of festive or ritual clothing. Women would use them as ‘tops’ as they went bare-breasted. Very long scarf-width strips were merit-making temple banners. Spiritually charged supplementary weft in narrow bands used to serve as waist and hem-bands of women’s sarongs, or was shaped into holy manuscript covers. An average scarf uses the raw silk from about 2500 cocoons, themselves fed some 28 kg of mulberry leaves.