Van Phuc Silk Village

Van Phuc Silk Village is a wonderful place standing out for its skilled silk weaving technique in Vietnam. It is well-known for meticulous products with delicate stitching and patterns.

Van Phuc Silk Village (Source: Vietgoing.com)

Background

Located in Ha Dong District, Van Phuc is among the most distinguished silk-weaving villages in Vietnam. It is recognized as ‘The oldest traditional silk weaving village that still operates today’, awarded by the Vietnam Record Organization. 

This enchanting destination attracts thousands of both domestic and foreign tourists every year.

Van Phuc received the record for the oldest silk village in Vietnam (Source: VTV.vn)

The Birth of Van Phuc Silk Village

Back then, the place used to be named Van Bao. However, due to the taboo of the Nguyen Dynasty, it was renamed Van Phuc. In 1932, products of Van Phuc village were introduced to the international market at the Marseille fair market for the first time. French traders considered these as one of the most delicate and sophisticated fibers in Indochina.  

Delicate and meticulous Van Phuc fibers (Source: Mekong ASEAN)

Since then, Van Phuc silk has been exported to Eastern Europe and is still favored by many customers all over the world until now. Over time, Van Phuc silk still retains its traditional beauty and leads the Vietnamese textile industry. It is always considered beautiful and durable due to the diverse patterns and elegant lines, bringing a unique aesthetic beauty.

Products from this traditional handicraft village still attract customers (Source: hanoimoi.com)

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Silk production process

Step 1: Cultivate mulberry and raise silkworm

This is the first and utmost stage to begin creating perfectly beautiful fibers. The quality of the silk depends on the process of raising the silkworm. Therefore, the work is hard and needs consistent attention. 

Silkworm cocoons (Source: To lua Viet Nam)

When the silkworms grow up, the breeders need a special tool to spin silk and create cocoons. The craftsmen then choose suitable cocoons to prepare for the next step: collecting silk.

Step 2: Collecting silk

The artisans continue to select old, good-quality cocoons to proceed with cocoon spinning, also known as pulling the silk threads from the cocoon out of the silkworm. Previously, this step was done manually, but now it is done by machine.

Collecting silk (Source: To lua Viet Nam)

After the cocoon spinning step, the long silk threads will be straightened before going into the silk reeling step. This is a manual step to avoid tangling the silk threads when put into the reel.

Step 3: Silk weaving preparation

After putting silk into the reel, the ends of the silk threads will be pulled out into small cores to be loomed and connected so that the silk threads can be fed into the weaving machine. At this time, the artisan must be on duty 24/7 to detect errors or add silk threads when needed.

Silk weaving (Source: To lua Viet Nam)

As local craftsmen said, patterns are pre-drawn on the machine according to the sample or customer's order, and they will come out immediately when woven, not embroidered like fake goods. After about 2-3 days of weaving, the silk tube will be about 45 - 50m long and transferred to the dying process.

Step 4: Dying

To make the silk more beautiful, the dyeing process is extremely important, especially the stage of mixing the dye in the right proportion. Before dying, Van Phuc silk must be boiled and bleached to remove impurities. 

Dying process (Source: To lua Viet Nam)

The dyed silk will be washed and dried. Previously, if the weather conditions were favorable and there was plenty of space, the dyed silk would be dried in the sun. Final products would have the same color as expected and then be displayed or delivered to silk dealers.

Dyed silk (Source: Tap chi Lang nghe Viet Nam)

Van Phuc Silk Village Nowadays

Despite the rapid urbanization, Van Phuc Silk Village still retains its inherent ancient beauty. One attractive spot is the Umbrella Road. Tourists will definitely be impressed by the eye-catching and unique decoration of colorful umbrellas here.

The Umbrella Road (Source: VnExpress)

Another extremely favored check-in location is the mural. It was completed by Van Phuc Kindergarten’s teachers, recreating the scenery of this handicraft village. Many youngsters and tourists come here to capture memorable moments.

The mural presents the village scenes (Source: Bao Phu nu Viet Nam)

Regarding textile products, there is an extremely diverse range of types and designs: floating clouds, dragons and phoenixes, Van Tho Dinh silk, etc. Each product implies skilled techniques and the dedication, and creativity of artisans. With outstanding characteristics, Ha Dong silk is an ideal gift for all occasions.

Diversity in type and design (Source: Hanoi Creative City)

How to get there

Van Phuc Silk Village is situated in Van Phuc Ward, Ha Dong District, about 10km away from the central area of Ha Noi. There are many options for tourists.

• Hire a vehicle: Tourists can rent a motorbike and follow Google Maps to go to Van Phuc village. This trip only takes about 30 minutes and tourists can behold Hanoi scenes along the way.
• Public transport: Taking a bus is also an interesting idea. However, from the bus station to the final destination takes about 5 to 20 minutes walking depending on the route. Therefore, visitors should choose nearby stops such as No.33 or E04 bus. 

Tourists can take the E04 bus to Van Phuc Silk Village (Source: hanoimoi.com)

Otherwise, using car booking apps like Grab, Bee, XanhSM can help tourists go straight to the village without any inconvenience. Due to the short distance, the price is affordable as well.

Conclusion

Existing for more than 1000 years, Van Phuc Silk Village is one of the most beautiful silk-weaving villages in Vietnam. This place is appealing to those loving the traditional beauty and handicraft art. Do you want to explore this place with Asia King Travel? Contact us now and let us plan your wonderful journey!

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