Lepcha Weaving is the synonym face of the Sikkim handloom. It is a native art of Sikkim done by the Women of the Lepcha community since ancient times. The men used to go out hunting and fishing while the women used to weave in the backyards for their families. A natural fibre called sisnu and coarse silk is its raw material. The final cloth often consists of multi-hued special motifs which are further arranged in a vertical striped pattern. Lepcha weaving represents the tribal sentiment of the Lepcha community with their traditional art of Lepcha weaving and their traditional dress.

Wood Craft in Sikkim was originally patronized by the Buddhist monasteries, where a huge range of wooden things used to be craved like wood plaques, lanterns, utensils, Buddhist symbols, and various other things for daily use. However, one of the most prominent wood-carved objects are Choktse tables, from Gangtok. These small foldable and portable tables can be found in every Sikkim household. These tables are carved in an exquisite pattern of flowers, Buddhist symbols, or sceneries with the help of paper stencils and painted in different bright colours and polished thoroughly to give them a shine.

Mask-making is another ancient craft in Sikkim. Earlier it was confined to the walls of the monasteries however with time locals have started making masks as well in Sikkim. These face masks are made of softwood or clay and with paper pulp. Masks often depict gods, goddesses and animals in serene or angry expressions generally painted in bright colours of yellow, blue, green, orange or white. These masks are made and worn by people during festivals, religious ceremonies, and dances especially, during Cham which is a ceremonial dance done by the lamas in monasteries. Nowadays, these masks are also used as a wall hangings as a popular craft in Sikkim.

Thangka, is a word literally means “the thing one unrolls.” It is a painted or embroidered banner hung in the monastery or carried by lamas for ceremonial processions. The presence of the Thangka painting can be dated back to the ancient cave painting. Thangka paintings often consist of natural elements along with multiple motifs like Lotus, flowers, banners, fish, and dharma wheel with each representing significant meaning. Thangkas in Sikkim Vary in the usage of colours, design of facial expressions of deities, decorations, and background scenery. They even have a slightly different theme, though in both the styles Buddha and Boddhisatva are prominent Tibetan thangkas have depictions of Rinpoche and Dalai Lama in the foreground whereas Sikkimese thangkas depict Chogyal or the last King of Sikkim along with Rinpoche and Monks.

Sikkim is predominantly, consists of three tribes, firstly Lepcha tribe which was the oldest resident of Sikkim, then there are Bhutias and thirdly immigrants from Nepal, Bhutan, and Tsang. Nepali Stone carvings thus came to Sikkim with the Nepalese masons who settled in Sikkim. It further developed as a prized craft as there is an abundance of slate in Sikkim which helped it to grow rapidly. These carvings are dominated by Hindu religious imagery of deities, Mythological creatures, temple scenes or religious patterns. Buddhist stone prayer wheels called mani-Ihadens are also made of such carvings. Stove carving in Sikkim is a delicate art which has been kept alive by passing down the techniques through generations in Sikkim.

Sikkim’s gold jewellery is a blend of styles and motifs influenced by the Bhutia, Nepali, and Lepchas communities. The Sikkimese love for nature is represented in this jewellery with patterns influenced by nature like plants and flowers or religious symbols like a mandala. Semi-precious stones and gems like turquoise, lapis lazuli and red coral are used in the pieces of jewellery. Sikkimese traditional jewellery includes elaborate neckpieces called Rani Haar, Khao, Kantha and Naugedi along with earrings, rings and bracelets. The complex techniques involved in the traditional jewellery making of Sikkim are passed through generations in Sikkim.

Sikkimese carpets are hand-knotted and woven in fixed vertical looms which are kept standing with the support of a wall and done mainly by the women of Bhutia in Sikkim. Carpet designs are Tibetan patterns of mythical birds, flowers like the lotus, snow lions, and eight Buddhist lucky signs.

Another well-known craft in Sikkim is blanket weaving which varies from Lepcha weaving in its pattern and community. Blanket weaving is done by the Nepalese women by sheep wool.