Nepali Textiles: The stories behind our laptop cases
Grab yourself a hot drink and a comfy chair, as you do a bit of a deep-dive with us into the cultural and historical stories behind our products.
At Threads of Life, we’re all about helping you uncover the stories behind the things you use every day. And while we’ve spent a few posts diving into supply chains and impact reporting, we’d also love to draw your eye to a unique design detail in our own laptop cases.
So today, we’re shifting from logistics to lore: Where do the intricate patterns lining our cases come from? How are they crafted? What cultural meaning do they carry?
Our Nepal-based ethical manufacturer, Purnaa, found in the heart of the Kathmandu Valley, is committed to incorporating local artisanal fabrics in its products. Through using the traditional Nepali weaving pattern, Dhaka, customers around the world get a glimpse of Nepal’s vibrant heritage.
After our founder and designer, Fiona, had the idea to incorporate some Dhaka-style textiles in the diabetes bags she began designing, Purnaa sent her some real fabric samples in the post. She then matched a Dhaka pattern with a complementary shade of canvas for the diabetes bags, and later the laptop cases, to create colourways that worked well.
The dhaka textiles used by Purna are made locally in Kathmandu with 100% cotton!
What is Dhaka?
There are several theories as to how Dhaka fabric earned its name – a name shared with the capital of neighbouring country, Bangladesh. Some say that Dhaka was named because the muslin from Dhaka that arrived in Nepal resembled fine Nepalese weaving. Others reckon that Hindu weavers, who fled Dhaka at the time of the Muslim invasion in the early 13th century, settled in or near Nepal and influenced the Nepalese weavers they moved next to.
And yet, the main centre for Dhaka weaving, Terhathum, is in the middle of a difficult-to-reach mountain area far away from any of Nepal’s borders.
While all these origin theories point to Nepal’s interconnected history with other cultures and ancient people movements, it’s honestly a bit of a mystery how this Nepali textile got its name!
The traditional Dhaka colours are black, white, red and orange, as seen in some of our products. Yet, these intricately patterned colourful panels infinitely vary in colour and composition. No two pieces are ever the same as each other, reflecting the weaver’s creativity and individuality. From bold geometric shapes to temple outlines and complex floral patterns, Dhaka is full of cultural motifs and national lore.
Spot the diamond shapes and traditional colours in these traditional Nepali mens’ caps, known as topi. Can you see any familiarities with the patterns incorporated in our Threads of Life products?
One of the best-known patterns, popular among beginner weavers, is based on stepped diamond shapes, inta, along the centre of the Dhaka fabric. These are framed by broad, stepped lines and half-diamond shapes emerging from the fabric border. This diamond also appears in many other patterns in a variety of sizes, colours and outlines. Look out for it in our own Threads of Life products!
Where can I usually find it?
As seen in the photo above, Dhaka fabric is most often made into caps, locally known as topi, for men, and shawls and blouses for women. No two topis are the same, and they are worn by men of all ranks and ethnicities across Nepal.
Some of the finest Dhaka cloth today is made in Terhathum, the historical centre of Dhaka weaving, by Limbu women from eastern Nepal. The Limbu and the Rai people, together known as Kiranti, together form one of the largest single ethnic groups in Nepal. Many say they are the original inhabitants of this middle mountain area, and they have been associated with the history of Nepal for thousands of years. In today’s world of trends and mass-production, we love celebrating the ancient traditional ways of this community in our own products.
Given that Dhaka is 1. Worn by pretty much all Nepalis and 2. Mostly woven by those intimately connected to Nepal’s natural history, it would be remiss of us not to unpack the cultural and spiritual significance of this textile!
What is Dhaka’s significance?
It’s safe to say that Dhaka in Nepal is far more than just a material; it reflects spiritual beliefs, carries cultural memory, and emblemises a sense of both national and domestic belonging.
Dhaka is now the design standard for the Nepali national topi, worn by government officials and dignitaries during daily life and state ceremonies. In this way, Dhaka has become a powerful cultural icon. Bridging the ancient and the modern, the hills and the Terai regions, it is a key symbol of Nepal’s identity as a united nation. When any Nepali person – not only government officials – partake in a national event, they don their Dhaka to celebrate!
Dhaka fabric is also deeply embedded in the life-cycle ceremonies in Nepal, as the topi is worn during birth and funeral rituals as well as for weddings. This textile not only symbolises what it means to be Nepali, but also what it means to be human; to be born, to pass away, and to be joined together.
A traditional topi worn by a Nepali groom at a wedding.
What’s more, the common Dhaka motifs, directly inspired by the natural environment, exist for more than just aesthetics. Through these designs, weavers express their relationship to the land, water, plants and the wider environment, which has great spiritual as well as practical significance for many indigenous communities. Dhaka’s intricate patterns reflect tribal beliefs, ancestral wisdom, and environmental symbolism.
These patterns and motifs are also passed down through families as a rite of passage, usually by the women of each generation. Not only does Dhaka therefore draw families together through a common cultural memory, but it has also become a significant source of income and empowerment for women, especially in rural areas where economic opportunities are limited. By adding her unique touch to the design, each weaver can offer passing customers an infinite choice of patterns, keeping the uniqueness and creativity of Dhaka fabric alive.
The production of Dhaka in 2025
Although Dhaka was popular and originally woven in most parts of eastern Nepal like Terhathum, Dang, Ilam and Dhankuta, weavers in Kathmandu have today mastered the skill. Dhaka fabrics are more recently being produced with a mix of silk imported from India, using a wider range of yarns and a broader variation of colours. Thanks to this amazing upsurge in Dhaka cloth production, Purnaa was able to offer Threads of Life a Dhaka feature in our designs!
We believe that featuring Dhaka textiles make our laptop cases rich in cultural history and individuality. They play a little part in preserving this beautiful creative tradition, that draws families together and offers income opportunities to society’s most vulnerable.
Check out our website to see the stunning patterns we use. Fancy a closer look? Why not buy one for yourself or a loved one this Christmas! We guarantee you’ll use it for ages, and you’ll be doing your part in supporting an ethical supply chain, committed to seeing individual workers flourish. What’s not to love?
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