Lotus weaving

The core issue is that every meter of lotus thread has to be extracted and spun/rolled by hand. This 10 second video from Cambodia has to be repeated for about two months to make a meter of fabric. Spinning thread accounts for 60% - 90% of the labor cost and explains why this fabric is so expensive. Nevermind that the next step, handlooming, is not the fastest technology either.

The cost is in the spinning, 10 seconds:

60 seconds:

Backgrounders

Business Insider

6 minutes

Vietnam

Here is a beautiful wordless seven minute video essay illustrating the full manufacture process from the harvesting lotus stems out of the water all the way though the loom. Phan Thị Thuận is the Vietnamese woman who first implemented the Burmese textile techniques for lotus fiber production in Vietnam in 2017.