Design in Lanna

This practice-led study develops a design framework for translating Lanna weaving traditions into contemporary textile products through collaborative storytelling and co-design. Working with three weaving communities in Lamphun and Chiang Mai, Thailand, the research combined documentation of weaving practices, narrative workshops to strengthen intellectual capital, and product prototyping in partnership with community artisans and professional designers. The resulting artifacts—garments, accessories, and home products—merged ancestral artistry with contemporary aesthetics, while digital archiving and hybrid dissemination strategies extended their reach. Expert designers and cultural stakeholders provided validation of the outcomes, highlighting the framework’s capacity to sustain intangible heritage through design innovation. By foregrounding practice as a form of knowledge production, the study demonstrates how material experimentation, narrative construction, and community collaboration can jointly generate culturally grounded and market-responsive design outcomes. We argue that this participatory, narrative-driven process offers a portable model for heritage-based design practice in other craft contexts.