Organized by the Ministry of Cooperatives, the vocational training schools are being opened throughout the nation and Falam weaving training school is one of them.

With a view to earning a living and to help Chin ladies engage in handicrafts, Falam weaving training school is teaching them the skills and techniques of weaving. The art of weaving is very interesting. Most of the products woven at the school are Chin traditional costumes. To weave cloths, necessary steps are firstly to dry the white thread into different colours and dry them in the sun. Then wind them on spindles. The weaving starts on the colourful loom. In weaving with the loom, limbs must be moved systematically to get the beautiful creation of expensive cotton textiles. Depending on the ideas and imagination, the patterns and designs will be attractive.

Backstrap loom weaving is also done at Falam weaving school. The skill of backstrap loom weaving is a handicraft which is practiced by the Chin nationals from the time of their ancestors to date. Chin ladies weave their costumes themselves. All Chin girls can weave. It’s not an easy task; both hands and both legs have to be used. It is necessary to wrap up the leather up at waist to which the threads are attached.

Both legs have to be used in pushing to be in a good position. To be compact and systematic in weaving, it’s also necessary to drive a flat stick into the woven lines often each move. Employing these several difficult steps is the reason- these hand-woven clothes are expensive. Chin nationals also take pride in weaving these hand-made dresses.

There are differences in costumes according to the respective styles of townships of Chin State but all garments are backstrap loom-woven.