Ceinture Fléchée (Arrow Sashes) were first worn by habitant farmers of Quebec in the mid 1700s, and then spread to Métis and Native peoples across the North American continent with the voyageurs, many of whom came from the St. Lawrence River region. These sashes, usually red with bright arrow, lightning or diamond patterns running down them, were not only stylish and attractive, but very practical. For the voyageurs hefting 90 pound packs of furs and trade goods across early Canada, they prevented hernias, being the equivalent of weight-lifting belts found in gyms today. They held keys, knives, and tobacco pouches around the waist, and were indispensable in cold Canadian winters, wrapped around the waist of men wearing capots (hooded wool coats) to keep the cold from getting up inside. In emergencies they could be used as a source of thread for sewing repairs, as a drinking cup (often being waxed to make them water resistant), and even came into play as a rescue rope, and to tie rafts together in emergencies. With the ending of the fur trade by 1900, the common wearing of the ceinture fléchées also faded out. Now they are proudly worn as a uniquely Canadian symbol by Métis and Francophone people. The most valuable ceinture fléchées were finger woven, which gave distinctive large, bold arrow or lightning patterns, but were incredibly time consuming to weave, taking 300 to 600 hours each! Loom woven sashes were more affordable while still being as solid structurally, but the bold arrow patterns were harder to create.

Ceinture fléchées come in two styles. Sashes with long (24 to 30 inch) fringes are wrapped twice around the waist and tied with the fringes. Sashes with shorter fringes (8 to 12 inch) are wrapped twice around the waist as well, but are long enough to be tied with the woven sash itself, which hangs down at the side.

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