The objectives of this research were to examine the socio-economic development and cultural contexts driving the handicrafts to popularity among Lisu consumers, to explore social meanings of why more Lisu residents wore their ethnic clothes and silver jewelry amidst the influence of modernity, and to investigate the production process and sales of Lisu handicrafts in the market system. The study areas covered three Lisu villages in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces. The investigation focused on the ethnic dress and silver jewelry and the data collection period was from November 2012 to April 2013. The study findings are summarized as follows.
1. Long-term results of highland development and the contexts of rehabilitation and creation of the ethnic identity and awareness brought about demand and supply of the dress and jewelry in Lisu society. Previous highland socio-economic developments categorized Lisu communities into two groups:
1) Those located near cities became tourism communities. The experience in producing handicraft products for tourists turned to those for the Lisu themselves.
2) Those located distant from cities received training from concerned state agencies and international organizations to cultivate commercial crops for sale to lowlanders. The situation made these farmers unable to produce their own dress and jewelry like in the past. However, with the money from the sales of their cash crops, they bought the dress and jewelry from the first group. Morevover, there was a need to buy the dress and jewelry among young generations migrating to live and work in cities.
2. The revitalization of its popularity in Lisu communities has been due to the Lisu Cultural Conservation Expo in Thailand since it took place in 1995.
3. The production process has been complicated and related to power relationships. Producers with long experience could negotiate prices of raw materials from shops in city centers and always learn about new fabrics and colors. For the tailoring process, family members and relatives played an important role. Each was assigned to produce particular pieces and they were assembled into finished products later. Production skills and experiences had been passed down from generation to generation within the family. Therefore, designs were unique to each producer but they still had to comprise the ethnic designs in order for the product to become marketable. The products were then sold in markets in city centers, tourist attractions, the ethnic New Year event, and the Lisu Cultural Conservation Expo.