Styles of Nepalese Handicrafts

Baskets made in Nepal come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors – making them multifunctional. They are made from materials ranging from split cane to rice straw to bamboo to pine needles to recycled plastics. Vases, coasters, purses, trays, storage containers, and serving baskets are just a few of many available products. Whether you choose a traditional basket woven according to time honored methods or one of the innovative new products, you will have a unique yet typical piece of Nepalese culture..




Carving wooden blocks into traditional patterns and using them as prints is a time honored and highly skilled craft. With a history of printing on both paper and cloth, updated designs are now printed on specially prepared handmade paper and on hand loomed cotton fabrics, which in turn are used to create interesting products, such as unique stationary sets, clothing and household items like cushion covers, bed sheets, table cloths and napkins.



In Nepal, forging metal images is a very old art. Metal craft products include images of popular motifs of Hinduism and Buddhism, but also utilitarian utensils. These products are mostly produced by household units clustered around the city of Lalitpur (Patan). Metal images are produced with the lost-wax casting. This method of casting is done by preparing a wax model, covering it with varieties of clay, heating the piece so that the wax is melted, extracting the liquid wax so that cavity is created, pouring metal into the cavity, cooling it and transferring the original model into the metal image. The metal image from the casting is very rough. This rough image is then made smooth and made precise by chiseling. This complicated process requires an artist’s conception, an engineer’s perfection and the skillful hands of a craftsperson.

In certain villages of southern Nepal (Janakpur) it is a tradition for women to paint lively designs on walls for their homes, which vary depending on the occasion. Common Images include animals, including elephants, parrots, peacocks, turtles and fish, as symbols of prosperity and good fortunes, and wedding scenes and gods to bless new couples. Now artists create these vibrant designs not only on walls but also painted on handmade Nepalese paper, posters and fabrics. Other products featuring Mithila imagery include mirrors, ceramics, table cloths, bed sheets and T-shirts.