Textiles of Bhutan

The weavers, who are mostly women, must not be seen merely as creators of wealth but also as the innovators and owners of artistic skills developed and nurtured over centuries of time.

As textile production moved beyond the confines of clothing to artistic expression of individuals and communities, patronage from the royal household was vital.

The youngest sister of the second king, Princess Ashi Kencho Wangmo Wangchuck (later a Buddhist nun), is credited to have introduced the horizontal loom from Tibet in the 1930s.

[1] Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck continuous to extend royal patronage to the textile industry.

Today Bhutanese textiles have reached new heights of dynamism and respect; they are valued not only for their economic viability, but also as a symbol of Bhutan's artistic heritage that commands world attention and appreciation.

A well-established system of production, use and exchange linked the communities, extended the threads of interdependence, and wove the very fabric of Bhutanese society.