Myanmar handicraft Pathein parasol has gained popularity in the decoration market, and the business has still survived, though its sales have not been good.
“Now, Pathein parasols have been used in decoration for shops. There is attention in the market as they have been used for shop decoration. So, parasols have been sold, though there is no steady sale. It is a Myanmar handicraft, so the business has been running, but the sale is not active. An order has at least 50 parasols. It is fine if we normally have an order from a shop. They order 100-200 parasols,” said an official from the Dudu Pathein parasol trading from Mandalay.
Local products — wood, hteeyoe bamboo (thyrsostachys siamensis), Taragu bamboo, persimmon, satin fabric and cloth are used mainly to make a parasols originally produced in Pathein. The whole process is made by hand, including dying and painting the whole body.
The price of a Pathein parasol in 4-10 inches is K3,000 on average, and it can even be up to K100,000 depending on size. Pathein parasols are made in different forms — monk or nun umbrellas, fancy umbrellas, rain umbrellas, royal umbrellas, table umbrellas, lamp umbrellas, hotel decoration umbrellas and beach umbrellas. — Thit Taw/ZS
