Household Items of Maldives

Mat weaving, embroidery (kasabu boavalhu libaas), coir making, and lacquer work are some common traditional Maldivian household handicrafts. Each island specialises in one of the many handicraft traditions. As in many developed countries, industrialization and the availability of low-cost international goods have exacerbated the depreciation of the local handicraft industry.

Lacquer work is usually performed on wood and metal, animal and bird skin and bone, egg shells, paper products, glass, and mud products. Lacquer work is typically divided into two sections: lacquer preparation and lacquer application, also known as Laa hingun. Lacquer may be applied to an item in a variety of ways.

Coir rope is made from the fibre derived from coconut husk after a few weeks in the sea. After that, the fibre is pounded to isolate the fibre stands. Once the threads have dried, they are twisted by hand to make coarse rope of the desired thickness.

Basketry uses the woody skeleton of coconut palms and the stiff part of the spine of palm fronds. This art is also used to make kitchen objects such as food covers, sieves, and winnowers. Basketry has grown to make eco-friendly waste baskets and intricate lamp shades.

Corals have been used in the building of mosques, walls, tombstones, and mounds. Raw corals are cheaper to deal with, and in most circumstances, corals are left in the sea and then removed and taken part by part to work with.