How Myanmar creates some of the rarest and most expensive fabrics

Making fabric from lotus stalks originated on the shores of Lake Inle about a century ago, when a woman named Do Sa U picked a lotus flower to lay it on a Buddha statue in a local temple. Thick fibers hanging from the end of the plucked stem inspired her to spin a thread from them and weave the first lotus robe.

Before Sa U, she presented the robe as a gift to the abbot of the monastery, and subsequently she devoted the rest of her life to weaving from lotus stalks. Gradually, a rare kind of weaving began to develop in the Inle Lake region. The abundance of pure water during the rainy season leads to the violent blooming of the lotus, and it was during this period that the Burmese collect the largest amount of raw materials for weaving workshops. The fibers of the lotus stem torn off at the peak of its bloom have the best quality. The fibers must be removed within three days after the flower is ripped off. On a small wooden table, a woman cuts the stem and gently pulls the spongy fibers one after the other, then roll the thread from them and send it further for drying and coloring.

A difficult routine craft, which requires concentration and attention from the weavers, is considered an extremely kind activity. Indeed, in Buddhism, the lotus is a symbol of purity and enlightenment and embodies the teachings of Buddha. Rooted in muddy mud, the lotus grows through muddy waters (a symbol of suffering) to bloom spotless and clear above the surface of the water (a symbol of enlightenment). According to legend, the Buddha was born already able to walk, and where his feet stepped, lotus flowers blossomed.

Therefore, Burmese people believe that lotus clothes have energies that help monks calm their minds in spiritual practices on the path to enlightenment.

The production of a small neckerchief requires about 4,000 stems of a lotus, for a large scarf - already about 40,000 stems, and the manufacture of a complete set of monastic clothes takes up to 220,000 stems and 10 days of continuous work.

Using the simplest machines makes life easier for weavers, but the whole process is very time-consuming and time-consuming.

Lotus fabric is considered one of the rarest and most expensive on the planet.

Raw lotus fibers have a creamy, almost white color. For coloring, only natural dyes are used, such as, for example, tree bark, lotus flowers, etc.

The fabric from the lotus is obtained by a texture similar to silk, very soft, light, breathable and almost waterproof in nature.

Burmese people believe that lotus clothes not only help calm the mind, but also can eliminate headaches and other health problems, especially those related to the throat, lungs, and heart.

Admiring the authenticity of the production, it is easy to want to bring a unique souvenir as a gift. Only prices for the smallest shawls start at $ 70.

The fabric for the once sacred clothing of Burmese monks has now partially turned into an exclusive for connoisseurs of the world of high fashion. Italian designer Pierre Luigi Loro Piana created a line of clothes from a lotus after his friend from Japan, visiting Lake Inle, gave him a fabric sample in 2009. Since then, the enterprising Italian has placed more than one order at several mini-factories in the villages near the lake, and the prices for jackets from the collections under the brand of The Lotus Flower by Loro Piana start at $ 5,600.