Behind the Maker: The Pikul Collection by PET Lamp

The Pikul Collection marks PET Lamp’s debut in Thailand, where centuries-old bamboo weaving traditions meet contemporary design and sustainability. Developed in 2018, this collection represents a delicate fusion of material mastery, cultural symbolism, and collaborative craftsmanship — a distinctly Thai interpretation of the PET Lamp concept.

They partnered with the renowned Traditional Bamboo Handicraft Center, a foundation supported by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and celebrated for preserving the finest artisanal practices in the country. Through immersive fieldwork, prototyping, and on-site workshops, PET Lamp worked side by side with Thai artisans to create a collection that honors both material and method.

Bamboo — a quintessential material of Southeast Asia — lies at the heart of the Pikul Collection. Harvested, stripped, dyed, and woven with extraordinary precision, it becomes a medium of expression in the hands of three craftswomen, each with a specialized role in the intricate process. The first artisan calibrates the width and curvature of each strip to form a sculptural base; the second weaves the traditional Pikul pattern, inspired by the geometric flower of the Mimusops Elengi tree; the third reinforces and finishes the structure with rattan rings, ensuring both beauty and integrity.

The resulting lampshades showcase hexagonal motifs and floral forms rooted in Thai visual language — interpreted through labor-intensive, highly skilled weaving. This pattern, though derived from an octagonal flower, is traditionally translated as a hexagon in Thai basketry, exemplifying the quiet precision and poetic symmetry characteristic of local craft.

The Pikul Collection also introduced a major evolution in PET Lamp’s journey: for the first time in eight years, they expanded the typology to include floor, table, and wall lamps, unified by a slender black steel frame. These minimalist structures act as lines in space — elevating the handmade lampshades and framing their quiet complexity with an architectural simplicity.

In every detail, the Pikul Collection is a tribute to Thai craftsmanship, a celebration of sustainable design, and a continuation of PET Lamp’s global dialogue — where traditional techniques are not just preserved, but reimagined for the present and shared with the world.