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South Korean Spinning 물레 (mulle) in Hangul. Wheels are called Mool Lae in Korean. Hand cranked wheels, designed to be used on the floor. Very similar to Japanese wheels. This cute looking wheel is actually HUGE! It’s located at Mullae Station in Seoul, South Korea, a pun on the station and district name (Mullae/Moolae, get it?)[1] Hand spinning was presumed to have been in a supported style based on surrounding regions, but nothing could be found one way or the other. Common fibers are cotton and silk. Silk production started as early as 1200 BCE with Chinese immigrants.[2] References [1] Josh Philip Ross, “Seoul Subway Randomizer Adventure #3: Mullae Station,” Medium, March 27, 2017, https://joshphilipross.medium.com/seoul-subway-randomizer-adventure-3-mullae-station-d34eea98177d. [2] Tasdeeq Ul Islam, “The Historical Journey of Sericulture: Insights into Sustainability from Past to Present,” International Journal of Emerging Knowledge Studies 03, no. 09 (September 30, 2024): 719–26, https://doi.org/10.70333/ijeks-03-09-042.

Nepal Spinning घुम्ने पाङ्ग्रा Ghumnē pāṅgrā (Spinning Wheel) धुरी Dhurī (Spindle) कताई फाइबर Katā'ī phā'ibara (Spinning Fibers) in Nepalese Wheels are very similar to those of Japan, with spoked wheels that are hand cranked. A woman at her wheel, the drive band is a thread made of cotton, likely scrap from something else. The spindle isn’t really visible, but from what I can see, it’s almost full of thread.[1] Depending on material, the spindle spinning could be done as drop or in hand. Animal fibers were mostly done drop, while plant fibers were mostly done in hand. While this did vary from region to region, this seems to have been fairly consistent across Nepal.[2] The primary fibers were yak, camel, hemp, and cotton.[3] References [1] Jon G Fuller, “A Nepali Woman Spins Wool Thread with a Hand-Cranked Spinning Wheel in the Medieval Newari Village of Khokana, Nepal Stock Photo,” Alamy, April 5, 2013, https://www.alamy.com/a-nepali-woman-spins-wool-thread-with-a-hand-cranked-spinning-wheel-in-the-medieval-newari-village-of-khokana-nepal-image454084442.html. [2] Josefin Waltin, “Spinning in Nepal,” Josefin Waltin spinner, January 17, 2018, https://waltin.se/josefinwaltinspinner/spinning-in-nepal/. [3] Ibid

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Islam, Tasdeeq Ul. “The Historical Journey of Sericulture: Insights into Sustainability from Past to Present.” International Journal of Emerging Knowledge Studies 03, no. 09 (September 30, 2024): 719–26. https://doi.org/10.70333/ijeks-03-09-042. Itsabeff. “Mongolian Industries: Textiles & Animal Products.” Judds in Mongolia, April 19, 2021. https://juddsinmongolia.com/2021/04/19/mongolian-industries-textiles-animal-products/. Izitndmy. “Textile in Bhutan - the Bhutanese Art of Weaving.” Bhutan Pelyab Tours And Treks, June 5, 2024. https://bhutanpelyabtours.com/textile-in-bhutan-the-bhutanese-art-of-weaving/. Jackson. “Thai Traditional Fabrics: 3,000 Years in 15 Minutes.” My Thailand , May 20, 2019. https://www.google.com/amp/s/mythailand.blog/2019/01/14/thai-traditional-fabrics/amp/ . Khandikian, Kyle. “Rugs of Resilience: Unraveling the Symbolism of Armenia’s Weaving Traditions.” Ajam Media Collective, August 5, 2024. https://ajammc.com/2024/08/04/armenian-rugs-of-resilience/. Kikuo, Morimoto. “Traces of War: The Revival of Silk Weaving in Cambodia.” Textile Society of America Symposium Proceedings, 2002, 199–204. King, Katrina. “Global Spindles You Should Know About.” Spin Off, August 30, 2024. https://spinoffmagazine.com/global-spindles-you-should-know-about/. Kirkland, Dennis. Asia, Bhutan, Bumthang. Woman spinning yarn. April 26, 2010. Photograph. Kloosterman, Karin. “Oldest Spun Cotton Found in Israel - Green Prophet.” Oldest spun cotton found in Israel, December 22, 2022. https://www.greenprophet.com/2022/12/oldest-spun-cotton-found-in-israel/ . “Korean Embroidery.” Wikipedia, March 5, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_embroidery. Kossowska-Janik, Dominika Maja. “Cotton and Wool: Textile Economy in the SERAKHS Oasis during the Late Sasanian Period, the Case of Spindle Whorls from Gurukly Depe (Turkmenistan).” Ethnobiology Letters 7, no. 1 (December 31, 2016). https://doi.org/10.14237/ebl.7.1.2016.682. Kundakbayeva, Zh. 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Nath, Gopika. “Garland Magazine.” Garland Magazine Spinning a Yarn Unparalleled Comments, December 6, 2016. https://garlandmag.com/article/spinning-a-yarn-unparalleled/. Patra, Rita. “History of Japanese Silk.” Patra, September 11, 2020. https://blog.patra.com/2020/09/11/history-of-japanese-silk/ . “Pamir Fiber- Manufacturing .” Pamir Fine Fibers. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://www.pamirfinefibers.ch/herstellung?lang=en . Pragowo, Edu Lahar. “How the Dutch Fought to Save Indonesia’s Textile Industry.” Java Private Tour, February 10, 2025. https://javaprivatetour.com/how-the-dutch-fought-to-save-indonesias-textile-industry#:~:text=By%20the%20early%2020th%20century,a%20golden%20opportunity%20for%20profit. Premjayanth, Thilina. “Fibershed Sri Lanka.” Fibershed, March 24, 2023. https://fibershed.org/affiliate/sri-lanka/#:~:text=Cotton%20spinning%20and%20weaving%20in,home%20or%20community%2Doriented%20industry. 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Rottom, Boaz. “Old and Weathered Bedouin Woman Spinning Wool for Weaving in Little Petra, Jordan Stock Photo.” Alamy, March 30, 2017. https://www.alamy.com/old-and-weathered-bedouin-woman-spinning-wool-for-weaving-in-little-petra-jordan-image244347717.html?imageid=6FDBD107-BFE1-4A59-8308-F93367C78A85&p=149338&pn=1&searchId=4902e9337ab5bc6e113247242c85e0cd&searchtype=0. Ryukyu Heritage Textiles. “Handspinning.” Scharine Kirchoff, Fiber Artist, September 28, 2018. https://ryukyuheritagetextiles.com/portfolio/handweaving-under-construction/. Sarawak: A native girl weaving cotton on a loom. photograph. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.24882598. “Sericulture.” Wikimedia Commons, 2025. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=sericulture&title=Special%3AMediaSearch&type=image. 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Bhutan Spinning In Bhutanese culture, the art of weaving is strongly correlated with religion.[1] Drop spindles are called phang and spinning wheels are called haphang.[2] Nettle or stinging nettle, though now rarely used, is said to have been the original and chief fibre used by weavers in ancient Bhutan. Cotton is another common fiber found in Bhutan Bhutanese do not kill the silkworm before it escapes the cocoon, so it is not a single, smooth thread. This is why the silk from Bhutan is not as smooth as the silk from India or China. Wools are typically made from yak, sheep, and goat. They are spun on both drop spindles and on wheels.[2] Bhutanese woman spinning in a market[3] I love her spindle. I want to look at it closer![4] References [1] Izitndmy, “Textile in Bhutan - the Bhutanese Art of Weaving,” Bhutan Pelyab Tours And Treks, June 5, 2024, https://bhutanpelyabtours.com/textile-in-bhutan-the-bhutanese-art-of-weaving/. [2] Thagzo: The Art of Weaving.” Ich Links. Accessed June 22, 2025. https://ichlinks.com/archive/elements/elementsV.do?elementsUid=13916806808844150811. [3] Travelib Bhutan, Bhutan, Nobding Bazaar, Woman Spinning Cotton Thread by Hand on Wheel, July 22, 2012, photograph, July 22, 2012. [4] Dennis Kirkland, Asia, Bhutan, Bumthang. Woman Spinning Yarn, April 26, 2010, photograph, April 26, 2010.

Myanmar Spinning Pyu people were known to be peaceful to the extent of wearing cotton so as to not kill silkworms.[1] Spinning silk. I love her reeling wheel[2] References [1] Jeffrey Hays, “Pyu People and Civilization,” Facts and Details, 2008, https://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Myanmar/sub5_5a/entry-2996.html. [2] Annie Owen, Woman Spinning Silk Thread on a Spinning Wheel with Bicycle Wheel, Ko Than Hlaing Weaving, Inpawkhan, Inle Lake, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), Asia, January 2016, photograph, Robert Harding, January 2016, https://www.robertharding.com/preview/805-904/woman-spinning-silk-thread-spinning-wheel-bicycle-wheel/.

Armenian Spinning The fibers spun are cotton, silk, and linen for fabrics.[1] They started by importing silk from China, but eventually had their own sericulture.[2] They use wool for the rugs they are famous for, often from local villages.[3] Armenian lace is also sought after (Venetian lace is thought to have come from Armenian lace)[4] and required very finely spun thread. An Armenian woman spinning on a weird drum wheel.[5] I love the way this wheel looks. I wonder how heavy it is? Women and boys with cotton and wheels. The poster posits that they might be refugees and these might be supplies so that they can start a new life. It’s wonderful what spinning can do![6] References [1] “Arts of Armenia,” Textiles - Armenian Studies Program, accessed June 16, 2025, https://cah.fresnostate.edu/armenianstudies/resources/artsofarmenia/textiles.html. [2] Molly Hutto, “A Single Thread, Part One: Textiles in the Near East,” Near East Relief Historical Society, April 6, 2018, https://neareastmuseum.com/2018/02/16/single-thread-part-one-textiles-near-east/. [3] Kyle Khandikian, “Rugs of Resilience: Unraveling the Symbolism of Armenia’s Weaving Traditions,” Ajam Media Collective, August 5, 2024, https://ajammc.com/2024/08/04/armenian-rugs-of-resilience/. [4] “Arts of Armenia.” Textiles - Armenian Studies Program. Accessed June 16, 2025. https://cah.fresnostate.edu/armenianstudies/resources/artsofarmenia/textiles.html. [5] An Armenian Woman Spinning Thread, April 4, 2023, photograph, Instagram, April 4, 2023, https://www.instagram.com/p/CqnVshAgzj8/. [6] Armenian Women And Boys With Spinning Wheels And Cotton, 1915, photograph, Posterazzi, 1915, https://www.posterazzi.com/armenian-women-and-boys-with-spinning-wheels-and-cotton-ca-1915-21-this-is-possibly-a-refugee-family-receiving-tools-to-make-a-living-in-yerevan-history-item-varevchisl035ec277/.

Malaysia Spinning Most of what I can find on Malaysian textiles are on Songket and batik. They are cotton and silk fabrics woven with silver and gold threads and dyed beautifully. But I have no idea where those threads come from. And I’m frankly getting a headache. Here’s a picture of a fairly modern woman spinning on a charka type wheel. I can make guesses based on that, but that’s all they would be. Malaysian “girl” spinning. I don’t know, spinning doesn’t seem to have an age limit.[1] References [1] Sarawak: A native girl weaving cotton on a loom. photograph., accessed June 24, 2025, https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.24882598.

Vietnam Spinning Wheels are hand cranked, designed to be on tables[1] . The only spindle type I’m finding evidence of is the Ahka spindle, which is a supported spindle. Very colorful, made from wood.[2] The Ahka spindle was used by the Ahka people, who live in the higher elevations of Vietnam. I love the decorated spindles, and this one is just beautiful and looks like it would be fun to play with, if on the heavy side (not that weight matters as much in supported spinning). Fibers that are spun in Vietnam are cotton, hemp, and silk. A girl from Vietnam spins on her wheel. Her wheel is canted as if it’s not normally on the table, but was put there for pictures. This is closer to the ones seen in India, but without looking at the “tires” or knowing if this is its normal place, it’s difficult to be sure.[3] References [1] Chronicle, “Vietnamese Girl Spinning Silk by Hand Stock Photo,” Alamy, accessed February 6, 2025, https://www.alamy.com/vietnamese-girl-spinning-silk-by-hand-image66156631.html. [2] “Akha Style Spindle.” 2019. The Woolery. 2019. https://woolery.com/akha-style-spindle.html . [3] Chronicle, “Vietnamese Girl Spinning Silk by Hand Stock Photo,” Alamy, accessed February 6, 2025, https://www.alamy.com/vietnamese-girl-spinning-silk-by-hand-image66156631.html.

Bangladeshi Spinning The Banglideshi are known for making cotton, specifically Dhaka cotton. Dhaka cotton was processed very uniquely. The cotton staple was so short and the fibers so fine that the fibers were spread out by boats at dawn and late afternoon and that when they were spun. The process was so specialized and so intense that it took the entire region to make the fabric.[1] The spinners would use charkhas to spin the cotton while on the boat, then sell the teeny threads to the weavers in the next town.[2] Bangladesh made more than 50% of textiles of the Indian subcontinent and around 40% of silks imported by the Dutch from Asia .[3] Bengladeshi woman spinning. The caption says she’s spinning cotton, but that looks like silk on the reeling wheel…[4] A Bangladeshi woman spinning cotton[5] I love the way her spinning wheel looks. I think it looks like a flower. References [1] Zaria Gorvett, “The Ancient Fabric That No One Knows How to Make,” BBC News, February 24, 2022, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210316-the-legendary-fabric-that-no-one-knows-how-to-make. [2] Gopika Nath, “Garland Magazine,” Garland Magazine Spinning a Yarn Unparalleled Comments, December 6, 2016, https://garlandmag.com/article/spinning-a-yarn-unparalleled/. [3] Om Prakash , "Empire, Mughal Archived 18 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine ", History of World Trade Since 1450, edited by John J. McCusker , vol. 1, Macmillan Reference USA, 2006, pp. 237-240, World History in Context. Retrieved 3 August 2017 [4] Neil Cooper, Woman from a Village Cooperative Hand-Spinning Fine Cotton. Bangladesh, 2004, photograph, Alamy, 2004, https://www.alamy.com/woman-from-a-village-cooperative-hand-spinning-fine-cotton-bangladesh-image3797294.html?imageid=32E73F8B-6F0A-4681-929D-3FFC55E0A5D7&p=15817&pn=1&searchId=ef3b690cb1375f88e6f0f894fda10372&searchtype=0. [5] Rudolph Ackermann, Bengali Woman Spinning Using a Simple Spinning Wheel, 1821, photograph, 1821.

Afghani Spinning Spinning cotton is done on a drop spindle.[1] Cotton has been grown in Afghanistan since the 3rd millennium BCE.[2] Wool is also spun on a drop spindle, and is usually done thick.[3] Afghanistan was known for having a soft cashmere, even if it wasn't produced as much as it could have been (there was no infrastructure to process the fiber, so it was all done small scale by hand)[4] The woman in the middle is spinning! And it does look like drop spinning! So weird![5] A woman spinning what appears to be cotton on a floor hand cranked wheel[6] References [1] “Spinning a Lucrative Yarn in Afghanistan,” ReliefWeb, October 3, 2012, https://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/spinning-lucrative-yarn-afghanistan. [2] Daniel Balland, “Cotton III. in Afghanistan,” Encyclopaedia Iranica, October 21, 2024, https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/cotton-iii/. [3] “Spinning Wheels in Afghanistan: A Livelihoods Case Study,” studylib.net, accessed June 16, 2025, https://studylib.net/doc/10771146/spinning-wheels-in-afghanistan--case-studies---livelihoods . [4] “Cashmere in Afghanistan,” From The Mountain, accessed June 16, 2025, https://www.fromthemountain.com/cashmere-in-afghanistan#:~:text=As%20a%20result%20of%20ASAP,of%20this%20globally%20beneficial%20enterprise. [5] Lillias Hamilton, Views in Afghanistan, October 9, 2014, photograph, Wikimedia Commons, October 9, 2014, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Views_in_Afghanistan;_by_Lillias_Hamilton_Wellcome_L0025448.jpg. [6] R.B. Holmes, Pathan Woman Spinning, North-West Frontier , January 7, 2022, photograph, Facebook , January 7, 2022.

Georgian Spinning I feel the need to be very clear: this is about the country, not the US state. They use beautifully carved wooden one piece supported spindles as their main type of spindle.[1] A really pretty Georgian style spindle. These ones are sold on The Woolery, and I super want to try one![2] References [1] Elizabeth, “Artist Spotlight: Kravelli - A Small Business,” Our blog, July 21, 2023, https://woolery.com/our-blog?p=artist-spotlight-kravelli#:~:text=Or%20its%20importance%20to%20you,the%20majority%20of%20the%20population. [2] Katrina King, “Global Spindles You Should Know About,” Spin Off, August 30, 2024, https://spinoffmagazine.com/global-spindles-you-should-know-about/.

Mongolia Spinning No evidence of wheels used in medieval times found, which makes a certain amount of sense given they were a nomadic culture and moving around with something as large as a wheel (even one that is typical of Asia at the time) could have been problematic From looking at pictures of historical reenactments, they appear to have used bottom whorl drop spindles. But these are reenactments. I’m not finding primary sources, or even secondary.[1] Hohhot reenactor spinning. I’m dubious, as that spindle looks more European than anything else I’ve seen doing this research, but I’m good at being wrong.[2] Fibers were primarily goat (cashmere is and was huge) camel, and sheep, as raising plant fibers was (and is) not really a thing.[3] References [1] Xinhua, “Hohhot, China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. 15th Aug, 2018. an Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor Demonstrates the Spinning Skill of Mongolian Ethnic Group during an Exhibition in Hohhot, North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Aug. 15, 2018. Credit: Liu Lei/Xinhua/Alamy Live News Stock Photo,” Alamy, August 14, 2018, https://www.alamy.com/hohhot-chinas-inner-mongolia-autonomous-region-15th-aug-2018-an-intangible-cultural-heritage-inheritor-demonstrates-the-spinning-skill-of-mongolian-ethnic-group-during-an-exhibition-in-hohhot-north-chinas-inner-mongolia-autonomous-region-aug-15-2018-credit-liu-leixinhuaalamy-live-news-image215507083.html. [2] Ibid. [3] Itsabeff, “Mongolian Industries: Textiles & Animal Products,” Judds in Mongolia, April 19, 2021, https://juddsinmongolia.com/2021/04/19/mongolian-industries-textiles-animal-products/.