Bangkok Textile Market
When thinking about
fabric or textile market in Bangkok, the first and only place that comes up in
everyone’s mind must be Sampeng Lane or Pahurat. This is because the two
markets are the largest centers for fabric and other related equipment and
materials in Bangkok, which include both wholesale and retail trade. Pahurat
and Sampeng Lane are commercial districts whose origin dates back in the reign
of King Rama V when a group of Indian merchants brought fabric from their
homeland to sell in Bangkok. With its distinct characteristics and exotic
patterns, the Indian fabric became increasingly popular afterwards. As time
went by, new manufacturing technologies were brought into Thailand, as Chinese
people immigrated into the area to establish their lodgings in Pahurat together
with the fabric produced in China to sell in Thailand. The Chinese importation
resulted in a wider variety of both fabric and cultures. China owned textile
factories that were big and capable of producing a large amount of the
products, based on lower budgets. Consequently, China became more influential
in the textile market in Bangkok. The commercial districts now consist of a
multiethnic society of Thai, Chinese and Indian people.
Sampeng Lane and Pahurat not only sell textile products, but
also equipment and materials such as buttons, laces, sequins and readymade
dresses. The best-selling fabric and clothes in these localities are
traditional Thai costumes and Indian Saris which are sold by Thai and Indian
people respectively. Each of the clothes has its own distinguished
characteristics. There exist many types of fabric in the markets which can be
classified into 10 types: cotton, CVC, polyester,wool, spandex, silk, nylon,
woven fabrics, knitted fabrics and linen.
Sampeng Lane is a
center for new fabric, the majority of which is from China and followed by Thai
fabric. The stores offer only general fabric, particularly made of cotton, and
printed fabric. Meanwhile, Pahurat, also known as Little India, is an old
textile market. Most of the stores are owned by Indian people and sell general
as well as embroidered fabric from India. Both of these commercial districts
have still conserved their identities for a long time. These can be observed
from the materials and types of fabric still sold to this day, which is to say
that the design is traditional, which can be used regardless of time while has
neither changed nor adapted to the latest social trends. Most people who come
to Sampeng Lane and Pahurat will purchase fabric for a dress for different
festivals or occasions, such as wedding, Thai performances, Sari’s ceremony,
and not for those who are looking for clothes for their daily life. Although
Sampeng Lane and Pahurat are the most important and biggest textile markets in
Bangkok, they are not the most interesting places for people in general. This
is because most people set convenience in choosing clothes in the department
store or readymade clothing as their priority, over choosing fabric themselves
for further tailoring, which is considered complicated both in selecting the
best patterns and the most fashionable designs.
The purposes of this
project is to find out how to turn Sampeng Lane and Pahurat into great
attractions for every group of people again, and how to turn the old-fashioned into
the fashionable again; in other words, accessible to both teenagers and people
in general, even better than those in the department store. The initial step is
to develop the quality and tailoring of fabric for each store by means of
innovation of fabric and new techniques, including creating new patterns and
3-dimensional printing and knitting, to create designs for clothes. As for the
manufacturing, each store currently sells only one type of fabric, so it needs
to offer a wider range of designs for the customer’s convenience as each of
them will be able to create their own styles comprehensively. The production
will include digital design, whole body scanning hologram, creating style of
fabric, pattern, pleating, 3d screening, cutting and decorating. Most people in
the areas still rely on the same process that has been followed for
generations. The sale and dressmaking have yet to adopt new styles. Another
crucial step is to develop the skills of people in the areas so that they grasp
better about business and modern fashion through learning centers and sharing
areas as a space for exchanging knowledge. At the same time, there will be
exhibitions to promote old traditional type of fabric and textile, and to pass
on knowledge to the next generations as well as open their minds.
The
development for Sampeng Lane and Pahurat textile communities and societies is a
promotion for the already existing things. The project will attract people’s
attention and interests to these existing things and make them more popular
again. It will be a significant progress for people in the societies and the
textile business, as it will become more comprehensive both in selling and
producing the fabric.
