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The delightful surprise about shopping in Chiang Mai is that you don't have to part with much of your hard-earned money—even the most elaborately crafted silver, for instance, costs a fraction of what you'd expect to pay at home. Fine jewelry priced at just above the current market value, as well as pewter, leather, and silk, are on display all around the city. The most popular buys are vibrant hill tribe textiles and products made from textiles, such as handbags and shoes; handicrafts, from handmade paper to pretty parasols; hippy clothes; knockoff bags; and accessories and jewelry.
Lamphun is famous for their intricate silk brocade textiles worn by royals for over a hundred years and at Lamphun Thai Silk, one of the area's largest silk businesses, located along the river, you can watch women weave at wooden looms dating back generations. Eight kilometers (5 miles) from Lamphun on the main Lampang highway is a second outlet.
Silk and other local textiles can be purchased at this company's shops, where you can also buy made-to-order clothing and home-decor items. This is a good place to learn about how silk is made and how the industry has evolved in Thailand. There are several branches around the city.
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