Visit the Chumey valley in Bumthang and you’ll see women of all ages hard at work, weaving balls of yarn into colourful, intricate patterns.

These designs are called yathra (woolen) weaves, and they are a unique speciality that is found only in Bumthang, a legacy that spans back many generations. Bumthang has long, cold winters. Thus, the thick yathra fabric keeps them warm and toasty. The people of Bumthang use yathra to make coats, raincoats, bedding material, furniture covers, and accessories. Sometimes, they create bags of specific designs with yathra weaves at the request of the customer, mostly tourists. It is no surprise that tourists are eager for this uniquely Bumthang souvenir.