Cruising the Handicraft Highway

In my head I had been imagining a single lane road on the outskirts of town. A winding road, possibly dirt, flanked with lush greenery, and lined with small booths where local artisans were selling their wares. Little open air shops stocked with lacquerware, silk, Celadon pottery, and ornate silver- all with nearby workshops allowing one to peer in at master artists in the midst of their works. I am not really sure where my vividly detailed visions of San Kamphaeng Road had originated, but as we headed south east out of Chiang Mai on our little motorbike, buzzing toward the ‘Handicraft Highway’ in search of locally crafted goods, I could not have been more surprised at the reality unfolding before us…

The smaller roads near the heart of Old Town widened, and we abruptly found ourselves on a multi-lane thoroughfare choking on exhaust and straining to catch a glimpse of anything that even slightly resembled my fantasy (or even evoked the phrase ‘handicraft highway’…) It was difficult to slow down enough to read the few signs I saw posted on the outsides of the large showroom-style buildings that lined the busy road, and I hadn’t spotted a sidewalk or an area that seemed conducive to either strolling or window shopping. It was indeed a far cry from the quaint scene that I had envisioned.

Well… not really wanting to spend the day pulling on and off a hot, crowded street making visits to one showroom after another, we decided to head back into town to search out another adventure. We took a left and began to make a u-turn, when above us appeared an array of beautifully coloured umbrellas suspended in the sky. But of course! The famous Bo Sang umbrella… one of Chiang Mai’s most recognized objects d’ arte. I had been so fixated on finding the ‘handicraft highway’, I had all but forgotten that the Bo Sang umbrella factory was also located in this neighbourhood on the outskirts of town.

We parked our motorbike and entered the workshop. It was quite an impressive display: arranged in a semi-circle were various stations where you could simultaneously learn all about the processes of umbrella creation, while admiring the great care and skill of the craftsmen and women at the factory. Kind of like a living museum. We took our time… appreciating all of the details of the work that went into creating a single umbrella…

The traditional Bo Sang umbrella is made from Sa paper and bamboo. Sa paper is derived from the bark of the mulberry tree which is first soaked, then boiled with a variety of ashes, then hand pounded with mallets. Once the bark fibers are tender, they are placed into a water filled tank which is throughly stirred until all the fibers are suspended. Next, they are sifted out with squares of screen into flat sheets, and dried in the sun.

Bamboo is hand-split into numerous spokes for a variety of umbrella sizes. 34- 38 spokes are created from just one stem of bamboo, shaped into upper and lower frames, and connected with an intricate pattern of cotton thread to create a working umbrella mechanism.

 

The Sa paper (or cloth- both types are manufactured here) is then sealed against the elements with a special waterproof and stiffening agent created from a blend of paste and persimmon fruit secretion. This ‘secretion’ is harvested by pounding the fruits in a giant mortar and pestle, then fermented for a month or two.

The umbrellas are then hand painted one by one with colourful and unique designs.

There are several local artists who have taken up shop in the factory. When not busy applying their art to the umbrellas they will happily paint whatever you may have on you at the moment. Hats, shoes, backpacks, purses, fans, and shirts are all popular mediums. For a small donation, of course…

How to get there:

Head east out of Old Town and connect with Charoen Muang Road after crossing the Ping River. Charoen Muang Road becomes route 1006…continue on for a few kilometers…past the intersection for route 3029, and past the intersection for route 121. Shortly after passing the turn for route 121, take the first major left onto 1014. You will notice the umbrellas hanging above and a bit of a village archway. The Bo Sang Umbrella Making Center is on the right.

Click here for a map

*If you happen to be visiting Chiang Mai during the third weekend in January they hold the Bo Sang Umbrella & San Kamphaeng Handicrafts Fair each year, where all the local artisans compete to see who can make and decorate the best products.

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