Traditionally, sinh garments were fashioned out of silk or a blend of silk and cotton. In past times, sinhs were only tailored on a loom, but today, mass-produced, synthetic knock-offs have seeped into Laotian marketplace stalls from China and Thailand. Still it’s common for Laotian girls and women, particularly in rural areas, to weave the skirt themselves. (As we traversed eastern Laos one late afternoon, just after crossing the border from Vietnam, we saw countless looms positioned in front of homes.) Young girls often learn by sewing the ornamental hem of the sinh first, then graduate to crafting the body of the skirt.