The textile is richly decorated with foliage designs in ‘weft ikat’ at the centrefield and gold supplementary weft, known as ‘songket’ at the borders. Men’s headcloths in coastal Sumatra tended to be decorative. The fine quality of the gold thread ensures that it will not easily damaged when the headcloth is folded. The headcloth is adopted by men in Southeast Asia. Various styles of folding the headcloth may reflect status or ethnic origin.
