Discover the beauty of Luang Prabang and Lao traditional clothing with Sao Sinh.

“Sinh” means the traditional skirt of Laos, and “Sao” means “to rent” or “young woman” — but you don’t have to be young woman to rent our sinh or clothing! We want everyone and anyone — families, friends, children, grandparents — to be able to experience the beauty and heritage of Lao traditional clothing.

The “sinh” is the traditional tubular skirt worn by Laotian women, and originated from the Tai ethnic groups (Tai Lao, Tai Dam, Tai Lue, for example). Sinhs come in countless colours, styles, and patterns, usually representing the region or community where the skirt was made. Simple cotton or synthetic cloth sinh are worn every day, inside the home and out, and silks for parties, weddings, and official functions. Sinhs are worn by the little girls to go to school, and by grandmothers, who cradle their grandchildren in the skirts while perched on a stool. Skilled weavers may spend weeks on a special silk tapestry technique sinh, which will be gifted to a new daughter-in-law, or just a few days, on a plain-patterned skirt that will be used day-to-day. Sinhs, like people, have “heads,” “bodies,” and “feet” — and could never be worn upside-down.