Historically, the first two groups of fabric are worn almost exclusively by royalty and nobility. The third type of Cambodian weaving produces a more simple Sarong or checked Krama cloth in cotton, cotton-silk blend or silk. These checked cloth, which resembles the Scottish tartans, is worn by almost everyone as protection against the sun, wind and dust. It is said that the Krama is the most versatile piece of cloth ever made and it can be used in more than 50 ways. It can be used as a headband, a scarf, a skirt, an apron, a handkerchief or shorts.
Women often use it as a head cloth to rest their baskets, or to carry their baby or groceries.
Some shopkeepers are unwilling to sell them to women. Cambodian silk are colored with pure, natural dyes. The colors are often in combinations of yellow, red or black sometimes shading into brown or midnight blue or rich purple. Leak or lac, is an insect nest similar to a cocoon that produces a deep red color. The silver used by Cambodian silversmiths is imported from neighboring countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong to be crafted into the ornate Khmer filigree.