Basketry of Lahu

The Lahu Shi have a good reputation as basket makers. They weave sturdy storage baskets with rattan outer walls and bamboo linings. These covered baskets are either hamper-style or trunk-shaped. They have long been sought after by other tribal people, and are now popular in the crafts market. Some Lahu Shi villages with a source of rattan nearby receive considerable income from the sale of baskets.

All Lahu make back-carrying baskets of open or close weave. Those of the Sheh Leh are of outstanding quality. Some men in each group make superior bamboo containers in round or oval shapes which are used for carrying cooked rice or by the women for keeping sewing supplies.