The Iban people of Sarawak are well-known for their weaving skills and, they traditionally practice at least four to five different weaving techniques, all done on the back-strap loom. One of the weaving techniques practised by the Iban is the ikat or kebat, a tie-dye resist technique where the designs are created by tying selected warp threads. This method is used to produce the pua kumbu (ceremonial blanket).

The second weaving technique is ‘sungkit’, a supplementary weft-wrapping technique where the designs are created by wrapping coloured threads around the warp threads using a sulat (bodkin) before the threads are locked in by the main weft thread. This technique is tedious and time-consuming. Another weaving technique called subak or silak (a tapestry weave technique) is sometimes used to incorporate designs at the back end of a man’s woven vest. The fourth technique is called anyam, karap, sulam, or sidan which is a supplementary weft-weave technique where the designs created are determined by heddles (karap). The technique uses silver, gold or coloured threads for the design. The fifth weaving technique is pilih (selecting a group of alternate warps by counting to create the design). It is a supplementary weft technique in which the design elements stand out in the background. This technique is also complicated, and the counting process is very time-consuming. This is one of the oldest techniques used and is no longer common among today’s weavers.