Silk
Thai silk is produced from natural fiber that comes from silkworms. They eject long fiber from their mouth, which makes the fabric soft, durable, flexible, and absorb moisture well. The fabric from silk also easy for dyeing and comfortable for wearing.
Features of Thai Silk
With its handicraft and local indigenous knowledge, Thai silk has unique and beautiful pattern as well as comfortable for wearing. This creates elegance but still reflects Thai culture.
Clothes were beautiful.
The Queen Sirikit gave compliment to the people one time that their clothes were beautiful. Local people then asked the queen how come the cheap clothes were more beautiful. The queen then asked people whether can make the same Thai silk clothes for her due to the fact that she liked silk. The local people asked the queen whether she would wear it and she said yes.
History of Lanna
In Thai history, Lanna was the powerful kingdom that had control in the northern part of Thailand. In 1292, Chiang Mai was established by Dai people King Mengrai. Lanna was under the vassalage of the Taungoo Empire (Myanmar) during 1558 to 1774. In 1774, Lanna was freed from Taungoo’s treat and later became a part of Siam in 1892.
Chiang Mai was the capital of Lanna and the culture has been conserved as well as carried on up until present. Nowadays, there are a lot of precious historical and cultural relics retained. Chiang Mai is also the center of cultural product export. Large number of silk and textiles are exported every year, which becomes the occupation that people can make a living from.
Weaving techniques
Weaving techniques are inherited hundreds of years within family. Each family will have a kind of silkworm sericulture. Each household know how to grow silkworm and weave their own fabric as well as make a living from it.