Krebei Riel Boxes: Where Cambodian Craft Meets Everyday Life

The Krebei Riel box is a masterpiece of Cambodian ingenuity. Unlike woven leaves, these sturdy, elegant boxes are handcrafted from the branches of the sugar palm tree. Explore the stories of the artisans who preserve this rare traditional skill, creating functional keepsakes that bring centuries of Khmer heritage into your modern home.

A Tree That Sustains Life and Craft

In Cambodia, the sugar palm tree is more than just a natural resource it is a source of life, tradition, and creativity. From its leaves to its branches, the tree has shaped generations of artisans who transform its fiber into practical and beautiful objects. Among these treasures, the Krebei Riel box stands out as a unique creation, crafted entirely from the branches of the palm sugar and reflecting centuries of local knowledge.

Sugar palm branches immersed in water under sunlight to make them flexible for crafting at the workshop.
Artisan shaping sugar palm branches into circles, preparing them for drying and coloring.

A Craft Preserved in One Village

This exceptional craft is preserved exclusively in Krebei Riel village, located just west of Senteurs d’Angkor workshop. Here, artisans have mastered the delicate techniques required to cut, shape, colour and assemble palm sugar branches into sturdy, elegant boxes. Passed down from one generation to the next, this knowledge ensures that each box is not only functional but also a testament to Cambodian heritage and ingenuity. 

Artisan dyeing sugar palm branches by soaking them in large boiling pot of varities pigment in an open-air workshop.


Handmade, One of a Kind

Every Krebei Riel box is handmade with care and no two are exactly alike. The natural variations in colour, texture and grain make each piece a singular expression of both the material and the artisan’s skill. There are no machines involved only patient hands and a deep understanding of how the palm sugar can be transformed into something lasting and beautiful. 

Close-up of hands cutting sugar palm branches into squares for making krebei riel boxes.
An artisan focuses carefully while cutting sugar palm branches, working delicately to prepare materials for handcrafted krebei riel boxes at Senteurs d’Angkor workshop.

Supporting Women Artisans

Beyond craftsmanship, these boxes carry a social mission. By working with the women of Krebei Riel villagers, at our workshop we supports sustainable livelihoods while helping preserve a rare traditional skill. This partnership allows the artisans to continue their work close to home, maintain their cultural identity and pass on knowledge to the next generation. 

Close-up of artisan tools, featuring a traditional Khmer-shaped knife used for crafting sugar palm boxes.

Beauty with Everyday Purpose

What makes the Krebei Riel box truly special is its versatility. More than a souvenir, it is a functional piece that can be used at home to store personal items, organize spaces, or beautifully present gifts. Each box brings a touch of Cambodian heritage into everyday life, turning a simple object into a meaningful, sustainable choice.

Close-up of artisan’s hands trimming sugar palm bark with scissors to make packaging boxes.
Close-up of artisan’s hands inspecting a handcrafted box with rattan detailing along the edge.
Artisan assembling a handcrafted box and piercing a hole to secure the sides.


A Story You Can Hold

When you bring a Krebei Riel box into your home, you are holding more than packaging you are holding a story of tradition, nature and human creativity. It is a keepsake, a practical accessory and a thoughtful gift all in one. Through its design and purpose, the Krebei Riel box allows Cambodian craftsmanship to live on in modern life, cherished and appreciated in new, personal ways.

Two artisans working side by side, quickly assembling parts of handcrafted boxes by hand.
A portrait of an artisan shows her focused gaze as she carefully assembles a krebei riel box with both hands at the Senteurs d’Angkor workshop.