🧵 Textile
Kira — hand-woven traditional dress
Lhuentse, Bumthang, Thimphufrom $80–$2500
The national dress of Bhutanese women, hand-loomed in silk and cotton with centuries-old patterns.
About
A Kira is a full-length dress worn by Bhutanese women — a single rectangle of fabric draped over the shoulder and secured at the waist. Authentic pieces are loomed by hand in villages like Lhuentse and Khoma, often taking weeks to months for a full silk brocade Kira.
Patterns vary by region: Khoma is famous for kushutara (brocade), while Bumthang produces stripes and geometric motifs. Machine-made "tourist Kiras" exist — we only list shops that stock authentic hand-woven originals.
Prices range from USD $80 for a simple cotton Kira to USD $2,500+ for a full kushutara silk piece.