8 hours to weave a krama, the Cambodian scarf
The art of krama weaving, that famous scarf from the Khmer Kingdom.
When we speak of traditional scarf weaving, we think of all the qualities required to make a quality krama: patience, rigor, technical precision…
These qualities are not always innate, but the weavers in our workshop are technically trained to make scarves of exceptional quality, and patience comes with experience. Taking one’s time is a watchword at Krama Krama; weaving a Cambodian scarf is a subtle art, where the slightest mistake in the cotton thread is immediately punished. There are no time constraints in our workshop, and this is reflected in the quality of our scarves.
Krama Krama’s Cambodian scarves are totally handcrafted on a traditional wooden loom.
Discover on this page the 3 steps involved in making a Cambodian scarf the traditional way, as well as some photos of the weavers at work.
Step 1 : Dye and color
For the krama scarves with natural colors, natural ingredients such as tree barks, leaves, and fruits are boiled in a large cauldron to create the natural colors of the scarves. The cotton/silk threads are then dyed several times to obtain the desired color and then aired out until they are dry.
Step 2 : Preparation of the weaving
The warp thread is arranged. The thread is wound on the warp beam. The warp thread is put on a loom then the length of it is adjusted. Weft thread is wound from spool to bobbin.
Step 3 : Weaving and finishing
A sample is first woven, then the color, pattern and texture are checked. Then the weavers weave the scarf, ensuring that the quality is optimal.
The fringe is made at the end of the weaving process, along with the sewing of our labels (Krama Krama brand label and scarf composition label).
The quality of all scarves is thoroughly checked before washing and then placing in our stocks of Kramas available for sale on our eshop
