Tibet's fibres come from the animals that live on the plateau. Yak wool is coarse, warm and durable and is used for tents, blankets, bags, rope and heavy coats; sheep wool, finer, goes into carpets and clothing; and the cashmere combed from goats in the western regions is the fine fibre that appears in shops as pashmina. Because the plateau is cold and the animals are kept for their milk, meat and transport as well as their fibre, the textiles have developed around practicality rather than luxury, and that shows in what is best to buy.
What to buy
The traditional Tibetan carpet is the most substantial purchase. Hand-knotted woollen carpets are made in workshops in Lhasa and in Gyantse, where carpet weaving has been a trade for a century, and the old Gyantse pieces are known for dense knotting and a distinctive tiger, dragon and floral repertoire in strong reds, blues and yellows. New carpets are made to the same designs and can be commissioned in a size, which takes weeks. Beyond carpets, the practical buys are yak-wool blankets, saddle bags, woven belts and the heavy aprons worn by married women, which are woven in bright stripes from wool.
Fine shawls and scarves are sold everywhere in Lhasa, at prices from a few tens of yuan to several thousand; the cheap ones are a wool-synthetic blend, and genuine goat cashmere is a different product at a different price, so ask what the fibre actually is and expect the answer to change the price.
Where to look
In Lhasa the shops run along the Barkhor and the streets behind the Jokhang, with a few larger showrooms selling carpets, furniture and textiles in the newer parts of the city. Gyantse, on the road west towards Shigatse, has the most concentrated weaving tradition, with workshops you can visit to see the looms and the dyeing, and a market that sells to local households as well as to visitors. Buying from a workshop rather than a street stall costs more and gets you something that will last.
Practical notes
Yak wool smells of yak, particularly when damp, and needs airing rather than washing; it also sheds at first and softens with use. Genuine cashmere should be tested by feel and by price - if it is cheap, it is not cashmere. Customs on departure will question anything made from protected species, and old textiles may count as cultural relics, so ask for documentation for anything old or expensive. Foreign visitors to Tibet travel on a permit and with a guide, who can arrange a workshop visit and help with shipping a carpet home, which is usually the only practical way to move a large piece.
